


JiJi

by TheShitCook



Category: One Piece
Genre: Akuma no Mi | Devil Fruit, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Fluff and Smut, M/M, Mugiwara no Ichimi | Straw Hat Pirates, Smut, little bit of violence, top!Zoro
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-24
Updated: 2015-01-24
Packaged: 2018-03-08 22:35:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 22,644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3225998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheShitCook/pseuds/TheShitCook
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sanji comes across a stall on an island the straw hats made port in that sells "magical" wishing flowers. He's convinced into buying one and a certain marimo wishes him back to childhood! How will Zoro react to having to care for Sanji until the spell wears off?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Day 1 - The Wish

“LAND HOOOOOOOO~!” Luffy shouted at the top of his lungs from his seat on the head of the Thousand Sunny.

 

 _Finally_ , Sanji thought to himself. Sailing through the insane waters of the New World, the weather always seemed to be changing from severe snow to searing sun and right back to snow all day every day, not to mention the whirlpools that they ran into the other day. Using Coup de Burst certainly got them out of there quickly but set them off course and they ended up heading to a completely different island.

 

Not like it was a bad thing though, from the looks of it, the island they were currently landing at was covered in lush, forest, but there also seemed to be a small town right on the edge of the water. It wasn’t a tropical looking island though, which, although are nice, there seem to be a lot of on the seas. The trees looked like oaks, mixed with birches, elms, maples and pines as well. The island looked to be a fall island because the leaves were a mix between oranges, yellows, and reds along with the dark greens of the evergreen trees that were scattered around the island.

 

 _I’ll have to pull out the jackets and scarves then._ Sanji walked down to the storage room and pulled out coats for all the crew members. They would also need their mittens and hats and maybe even their boots.

 

“Would one of you shit-heads come down here and help me pull out all the winter clothes!” Sanji called out and was almost immediately answered by a grouchy swordsman making his way down. Zoro gathered up all the mittens and hats before making his way up onto deck with Sanji tailing behind.

 

“Oh my! It looks like you really CAN hear me! Bravo!” Sanji mocked.

 

“And WHY wouldn’t I be able to hear you?”

 

“Cause of all the moss in your ears.”

 

“Why you-“

 

“Tut tut Marimo, if you put too much stress on plants, they won’t grow properly.”

 

Zoro growled angrily at Sanji, which caused the cook to laugh loudly. Those faces he made whenever he got angry were truly a sight. Especially when he gets REALLY angry. His face will blush a deep, angry red, his eyes go bloodshot, sweat forms around his hairline, and it’s almost as if his teeth themselves change shape and go jagged to make his point even clearer. It was truly a treat whenever the cook could get a rise out of the swordsman.

 

Zoro and Sanji dropped all the thick clothing on the deck of the Sunny and soon everybody was ready to go. Once the ship was docked, Nami gathered the crew together to hand out allowances as well as choose who would have to stay and guard the ship.

 

“I wouldn’t mind staying on the ship. This doesn’t seem like the type of island to carry much archeological value so I’ll just stay back here with our ship wright. As long as you’re okay with that.” Robin smiled gently at Franky, who blushed slightly before turning to the crew.

 

“Of course! You guys go have a SUPEERRR time, everything back here will be fine!”

 

“Ah, it’s a bit chilly, I hope everybody has bundled up properly. I can practically feel the cold in my bones! Then again, that’s all I am! Yohohohoho~!” Brook laughed before following behind Usopp and Chopper, who had begun to make their way to the forest, no doubt in search for any plants or medical herbs that could aid them crew. Although it was unlikely they would find any, it really didn’t look like that kind of island. It was beautiful, yes, gorgeous even. But nothing seemed special about it in the least.

 

“Luffy and I will be heading off to look for treasure and cute clothes! Isn’t that right Luffy!” Nami shouted, Beli signs appearing in her eyes as she practically drooled at the word treasure.

 

“AWWW! But I don’t WANNA go shopping!-ow-ow-OW!” Luffy whined before being dragged by his ears by Nami’s slender fingers.

 

“Oh shut up! We’ll get something to eat right after!”

 

“Yay! Meat, Meat, MEAT!” Luffy shouted, ripping himself out of Nami’s grasp and instead, walking beside her.

 

“Guess that leaves you to help me pick up supplies! Come on Marimo. OH wait, I forgot, do you want to hold my hand? We don’t want you getting lost and running into traffic.” Sanji gave a face of feigned concern which further fuelled the rage bubbling up inside the swordsman.

 

“You wanna fight dart-board?! I’ll cut you up into tiny pieces!” Zoro was almost screaming he was so mad, but he followed behind as the cook lead him into town. Once there, Sanji almost IMMEDIATELY found the market, picking out the ripest looking foods and the juiciest looking fruit. Zoro didn’t much mind hauling the cart. If anything, it helped with his training. And once the cook was busy shopping, he tended to keep his mouth shut so he didn’t bother Zoro too much. Zoro watched as Sanji grinned widely at some spices that had obviously been imported into the city. Although, that didn’t make them any less rare, and judging from the smile on the cook’s face, he was happy with his find. Once their cart was full and Sanji was satisfied with his choices, they started to head back to the ship to drop everything off.

 

“HELLO GOOD SIR! Would you like to buy a wish?! Only 5000 Beli!” A man called out to the two. Sanji look at the man and grinned. The owner of the ‘wishing’ stall looked shifty in a way Sanji couldn’t quite put his finger on. It wasn’t his eyes or his hair or his clothes, not even his posture. Just, a feeling.

 

“Oh really? Only 5000 Beli? For any wish I want. And what if my wish doesn’t come true? What then?”

 

“If you can PROVE that your wish has not come true, I will pay you back double! NO, TRIPLE! Listen, it doesn’t matter how much I offer you in return if your wish doesn’t come true because I know it will. There’s a man on the island who ate this thing called the ‘Garden-Garden fruit’. He can grow the most beautiful flowers you’ve ever seen but he can also grow very SPECIAL flowers. He calls them ‘Wishing Flowers’. They will grant you any wish you want for a short amount of time as long as the wish carries no ill will. You can’t wish to harm or kill anybody. I know it works! I’ve seen it with my own two eyes.”

 

“You certainly are sure of yourself, alright then, I’d like to buy a wish.” Sanji looked rather amusedly at Zoro, who just scoffed and leaned against the cart. Waste of time.

 

“YES SIR! Okay, now, here is your wish flower, just blow the petals off and your wish will come true!”

 

The flower the man held out was small, about the size of a buttercup, but the petals were much longer and heavier looking. The stem was a dark green and it had tiny fern-like petals sprouting from different points along the stem. There were two layers of petals, the top layer was a pale violet colour and the bottom layer was a pale orange, almost yellow. Both layers of petal transitioned into white at the tips. The petals all looked very loosely held to the flower, almost like the seeds of a dandelion. Sanji took the small flower into his hands and looked at it questioningly before glancing back at Zoro.

 

“What do you think Marimo? Should I wish for a smarter mule to carry around my supplies, hahahaha!”

 

“I wish you were a helpless toddler.” Zoro deadpanned before blowing out the petals of the flower, watching as they danced in the wind. Sanji growled angrily and swung his legs at Zoro’s head but lost his balance when his hat suddenly fell over his eyes and he came crashing to the floor. The hell-? That hat fits perfectly, there’s no way it could do that…

 

Zoro stared down in horror as he watched Sanji shrink and shrink and shrink until finally, he was just gone. Replaced by a puddle of clothing. Zoro bent down and reached into the thick coat and pulled out a-a… no. No way had that actually worked.

 

But it had.

 

Zoro wrapped his hands around the tiny waist of the baby as he pulled him out of the coat. His hair was now short, just like the way Zoro used to cut it before his two years of training with Mihawk. Short blond hair, big blue eyes, and..

 

Eyebrows. Curly eyebrows. Now in full view thanks to the lack of hair in front of his face.

 

The baby stared blankly at Zoro as the swordsman held him up by his arm pits. Not even blinking at each other.

 

“CHANGE HIM BACK NOW!” Zoro yelled, his head snapping back to glare at the shop owner.

 

“You wished for it! I cannot change him back! Although, a wish such as this cannot last for very long. Maybe two, three weeks..?”

 

“WEEKS?!” Zoro screamed, to which Sanji burbled happily as he watched Zoro’s face contort with rage. He reached out his small arms, his fingers grasping at the air as he leaned in to grab at Zoro.

 

“OH would you LOOK at the TIME?! I have a wedding to attend! Bye now, thank you for your business!” The man practically jumped out of the stall before sprinting down the market roads and away from the swordsman.

 

“Oh no you- shit!” Zoro was just about to reach for his swords when he noticed that Sanji was still in his hands. Now, he was no saint, but he knew better than to leave a baby and go chasing after some random shop owner. There was absolutely no way he could take Sanji with him either. Shit…

 

Two weeks.

 

Zoro pulled Sanji towards him, holding him awkwardly in his arms. Sanji stared up at the swordsman with wide eyes. Damnit, when this was all over, Sanji was gonna kill him. It’s not like he actually meant for this to happen! That’s not even one of his usual insults! It was just the first thing that came to mind. Why would he wish for that?! Shit!

 

Zoro dangled his fingers in front of Sanji’s face lazily and watched as Sanji grasped at them with his small hands. Pulling one of the fingers to his mouth and gnawing at it.

 

“Oi! You ass… don’t bite me.” Zoro smiled down at Sanji as the little cook giggled and kicked his feet around. “Watch out, those things are dangerous. Hahaha.” Zoro bent over so that he could throw Sanji’s clothes onto the pile of supplies on the cart before heading back to the Sunny. How was he going to explain this to the crew? _They’ll probably blame me. Even though it is kinda my fault_ …

 

-0-0-0-

 

“Zoro.”

 

“Yes, witch?”

 

“Why is Sanji a baby?”

 

“Aww, you could tell? Damn, you saw right through me.” Zoro bit back sarcastically.

 

“The eyebrows kinda gave it away! Shishishishi!” Luffy chimed in.

 

“He certainly is cute though, isn’t he? Hello cook-san, do you remember me?” Robin playfully wiggled her fingers in front of Sanji as she spoke in a soft voice. Sanji reached out, pulling the backs of Robin’s fingers against his cheek. He leaned into her touch and she smiled.

 

“It seems like he still remembers us! That’s SUPER and all, but if he remembers us, why is Zoro holding him without him crying or getting mad?” Franky stared questioningly at the tiny blond.

 

“How the hell should I know?! All I know is that some guy in the market tricked the cook into wishing himself to be young again and then turned him into a baby.”

 

“That doesn’t make any sense, why would he want to make Sanji into a baby?” Nami questioned.

 

“Damn, you got me again.” Zoro replied, dripping with sarcasm.

 

“It wasn’t that hard you moron!” Nami screamed, and Zoro, almost instinctively, covered Sanji’s ears. That didn’t stop the little cook from tearing up though. Zoro couldn’t blame him. Nami was SCARY when she wanted to be. You didn’t have to hear her to FEEL she was mad.

 

“Okay fine, I was the one who wished he was a drooling toddler. He’s stuck like this for a few weeks while the wish wears off. Now if you could NOT scream while I’m currently holding a BABY, that would be great.” Zoro said, half distracted as he stared down at the small creature currently trying to tear at his coat. Eventually, Zoro zipped it open just enough for Sanji to rest his head inside on the soft inner lining. He snuggled in between Zoro’s chest and coat tightly while sighing happily.

 

“He’s so cute, my eyes might dry out staring at him! OH, but I don’t have eyes! Yo-hohoho~!” Oh shit, talking skeleton. Zoro had almost forgotten. Thankfully, Sanji was too busy falling asleep in the swordsman’s jacket to notice Brook looming over him. Zoro knew he had the best intentions, but he IS a skeleton, so nobody would be surprised if Brook upset the little tyke.

 

“Well, if he’s stuck like this for a few weeks, I suppose somebody is going to have to watch him..” Nami looked around the crew. NONE of them were NEAR responsible enough to handle a child. None of them except herself and Robin of course. Nami heaved a heavy sigh as she reached her arms out to take Sanji from Zoro. Oddly though, Zoro backed away.

 

“..I got him into this mess… I’ll take responsibility for him. Besides, you might cast one of your evil spells on him, witch.” Zoro almost muttered as he kept his gaze focused on Sanji.

 

“Zoro, this isn’t really about TAKING responsibility so much as BEING responsible. This is a human life we’re talking about! I can’t have you falling asleep when you’re supposed to be watching him, or drinking booze when you should be feeding and burping him. Just give hi-“ Nami’s sentence was cut short when Zoro practically cut her with just his angry glare. He opened his mouth to tell her off but was stopped when Robin suddenly stepped in and _Oh shit_ Zoro knew EXACTLY what she was about to say.

 

“Actually, Miss navigator, our swordsman is well practiced in the art of child care, I’ve seen so myself.” Robin looked over to the swordsman, asking permission with her eyes before continuing her explanation. Zoro sighed and used his free hand cover his eyes before he began to speak.

 

“Back at Water-7… I… babysat a bunch of kids while their mom was busy-SHUT UP!” Zoro’s face turned beat red with rage as he turned to glare at Usopp and Luffy who were barreled over laughing their asses off. “It’s not like I had a real CHOICE! I’m not just going to LEAVE them! The cook may think I’m a heartless bastard but for your information-I SAID SHUT YOUR MOUTHS BEFORE I CUT YOU!”

 

“Yes DAD!” Usopp and Luffy both said in unison before bursting out into another fit of laughter, tears forming in their eyes as they held on desperately to their stomachs. A vein popped in Zoro’s head and he was just about to lay a beating down on the two buffoons when he remembered exactly WHY he was telling this story. _You’re trying to show responsibility here. Killing the captain and the court jester is NOT responsible. Just let him fall off the ship on his own, Zoro. It will happen soon enough and then who will save him? Not you._

 

While most of the crew was now laughing hysterically at him, Robin’s plan seemed to have worked and Nami was now working on a list of baby supplies that would be needed for the next few weeks and how best to budget it. She mumbled something about taking it out of Zoro’s allowance but at this point, the swordsman really didn’t care. He had his Sanji so he was content.


	2. Day 1 - Responsibility and a Nightly Ritual

“Hold still you little brat! Robin worked hard to make you these so just, AGH-!” He’s gonna do it. He’s gonna strangle a baby. Roronoa Zoro, baby strangler.

 

Sanji giggled wildly as Zoro made attempt after attempt to get him into the soft pajamas that Robin had so graciously made for him from scratches of clothing. They had a lot of clothes that didn’t fit considering they were separated from the ship for 2 years. Zoro remembers how upset Nami was when she got back to see that none of her clothes fit her anymore. Her boobs have grown so grossly large that she seems to not even bother looking for shirts that match her cup size, going for her bikini tops instead. Robin had used one of Zoro’s old, white t-shirts to make a small night gown with long sleeves and a few small buttons on the top. It would probably look really cute on Sanji, if he would sit still long enough!

 

Zoro let go of the struggling toddler and stared at him maliciously from his seat at the table. It’s not like they had a baby changing table or anything so Zoro had just put a pillow down and placed Sanji on it. Fuck.. maybe Nami was right. If he couldn’t even dress Sanji without getting frustrated how was he supposed to do anything else. Zoro turned to leave the galley and go fetch Nami but before he could make it to the door, he was stopped dead by the sound of crying.

 

“No, no, no, don’t cry!” Zoro said almost angrily as he stomped back over to Sanji. Sanji looked up at him with tears swimming in his deep blue eyes and rolling down his cheeks. “Gah.. I’m just trying to get Nami for you. You know. NAMI? You’re favourite person in the world?” Sanji just wailed louder, reaching his arms out and grasping for something he couldn’t reach.

 

“Okay, OKAY! I’m sorry, please – just – don’t cry!” Zoro scooped Sanji up into his arms and held him snugly, bouncing softly and kissing the cook’s forehead. Sanji calmed down almost immediately and held onto Zoro’s coat, nuzzling his nose into the fabric and smiling faintly. Zoro took this moment of calm to use his free hand to reach for the pajamas and before the cook could do anything, he had pulled the loose collar over his head. Sanji stared up at the swordsman with wide eyes.

 

“I. Win. You little brat.” Zoro murmured smiling down at the stunned child before gently guiding his arms through the sleeves. “Now who’s looking fancy, huh? All you need is a tie!” Zoro held Sanji above his head and tossed him lightly before catching him and repeating the action. Sanji laughed happily and gave a wide smile at the swordsman.

 

“Hey, I got an idea! Sanji, can you say ZORO? Come on. Say it. ZO-RO.” Zoro caught Sanji one last time before bringing his hands down and cradling the cook in his arms. “ZO...RO” He repeated.

 

“Mmmm…raa….ra. Ro.. RoRo. RORO!” Sanji announced gleefully.

 

“You’ve either butchered my first name or gave up halfway through my last. Well if you’re going to call me ‘RoRo’ then I’ll call you ‘JiJi’ how’s that?” Zoro laughed as he walked out of the galley with a very satisfied grin on his face and was immediately met with Nami.

 

“I’m not giving him to you.”

 

“I know you’re not dumbass! I’m here to give you THIS!” Nami thrust a bottle into the swordsman’s face and Zoro reeled back to keep it from hitting him in the nose. “I also have these for you.” Nami hooked a bag onto Zoro’s free arm and stuck the bottle in his hand.

 

“..Thanks, I guess.” Zoro went back inside the galley and emptied the bag onto the table. Baby food and a few diapers. It took maybe twenty minutes but Zoro was able to trick Sanji into wearing one of the few diapers Nami had bought, it was obviously just a temporary amount since there was no way three diapers would last two weeks. Great. Now that the diaper was on, it was time to make him eat… oh well. It’s not dinner time right now. We’ll figure that out later.

 

Shit. Dinner. Sanji can’t cook for them anymore. That leaves Nami and Robin to do all of that. Zoro frowned as he poured milk into a pot and set it on the stove. Chopper had taught him to do at least the basics before burying himself in his few baby books in the medical room. Once the milk was warm enough, he poured it into a bottle and walked back over to Sanji, scooping him up in his arms and holding the bottle to his lips. Sanji wrapped his hands around it before pulling it down fully and taking huge gulps of the warm liquid.

 

“Slow down, it’s all for you anyway.” Zoro smirked. His mind wandered while the cook happily drank his milk. Zoro thought about Sanji’s cooking and how much he was already missing it. Zoro really liked Sanji’s food. He’d never told him, of course not, why should he? Sanji knows his food is amazing, everybody tells him every day. But now, he can’t just not tell him his food is good, he can’t taste it either. Damn it…

 

Zoro pulled the bottle from Sanji’s mouth, whipping away a stray drop of milk that was traveling down his cheek. He dropped the bottle in the sink before exiting the galley, watching as the small cook drifted to sleep in his arms.

 

“SANJIIIIII!!!!!” Luffy shouted happily as he bounced over to Zoro and the child, Zoro immediately slapping a hand over his mouth and glaring at him.

 

“Don’t you dare wake him, Luffy.” Zoro commanded, watching as Luffy frowned behind his hand. Luffy eventually pulled away and put his index finger to his mouth, making a quiet ‘SHH’ sound.

 

“Sorry DAD, I’ll be quiet now.” Luffy followed behind Zoro snickering as he walked down to sit under one of the trees on the Sunny. Luffy sat next to him silently as he watched Sanji’s chest rising and falling slowly. Zoro leaned in closely, listening to Sanji’s soft breathing and quiet whimpers.

 

Zoro sat there with Luffy, just watching as the cook slept, until, that is, Luffy got bored and ran to play with Usopp and Brook, leaving Zoro alone to watch Sanji by himself.

 

“Don’t worry JiJi... I’m not going to leave you alone, I promise.”

 

-0-0-0-

 

“ROBIN!” Zoro barged in through the galley door at around noon. He looked panicked, which immediately worried Robin considering that Zoro had been acting like everything was fine just minutes ago.

 

“What is it? Is something wrong with Cook-san?” Robin pulled herself away from the stove where she was helping Nami to cook spaghetti in meat sauce and walked over to Zoro, he was holding Sanji at arm’s length away and looked... confused.

 

“Do you… know how to... change a... ahem.. diaper? I-I’ve done it before! It’s just... I didn’t think I would need to remember that so I... kinda... forgot.” Zoro blushed as Robin took Sanji into her hands and sniffed at the cook’s rear. Yeah, that was gonna need to be changed, fast. Robin giggled at the way Zoro stared down at his feet, obviously not wanting to meet her in the eyes as he asked such an embarrassing request.

 

“I could show you Zoro! It’ll only cost you 5,000 Beri’s!” Nami laughed as she pulled a tray of garlic bread from the oven.

 

“LIKE HELL I WOULD ASK FOR YOUR HELP WITCH!”

 

“I was on the run for the first 20 or so years of my life, doing whatever people would give me in order to make some money, so yes, I have changed a diaper or two in my time. I’ll show you how, and I won’t even charge you either.” Robin laughed as she took Zoro to the medical room, it seemed to be where they were keeping all the baby stuff. Zoro noticed, as they walked through the galley, that dinner was nearly finished. The plates were all set out, as well as a couple pitchers of water, it wouldn’t be long before Nami called everybody to eat. Robin pulled out a fresh diaper, along with some wet and dry paper towels and some baby powder.

 

Zoro watched intently as Robin pulled up Sanji’s pajamas to his armpits and removed Sanji’s dirty diaper, throwing it in the trash. She went about using one of the dry towels to clean off Sanji’s towel, followed by a wet towel and then another dry one. As she explained what to do, she only seemed to be using her one set of hands, so that Zoro could follow along with her movements. She applied the baby powder and lifted his legs up gently, placing a clean diaper underneath him and wrapping it snuggly around his hips. She pulled back down his pajamas and picked him up, kissing him on the nose and passing him over to Zoro.

 

“Did you understand all that? If you want, I can watch you do it the next time you have to so that I can point on anything you missed or did wrong.” Robin smiled at the swordsman, he cleared his throat roughly, taking the child into his hand and scratching the back of his neck with the other.

 

“Yeah... uh... thanks Robin, that would be great. I really don’t wanna screw this up...”

 

“If you need me for anything else, feel free to ask.” And with that, she smiled and left the medical room.

 

“HEY! EVERYBODY! GET YOUR ASSES INSIDE FOR DINNER!” Zoro heard Nami screaming out the door of the galley.

 

Zoro ruffled Sanji’s short blonde hair and gently traced the curl of his eyebrow with his fingertips. Sanji smiled and snuggled into Zoro’s arms. _Your smiles are contagious, as always, shit-cook. Well, better start heading to the galley._ When he got there, everybody else was already piling in and sitting down, Nami had just finished setting down all the food for dinner and was sitting down herself.

 

“Hey, witch, hold Sanji for me while I get his food.” Zoro passed Sanji over to Nami as he walked over to the pantry, grabbing a jar of baby food and a spoon from one of the drawers.

 

“RoRo!”

 

“AWWW! He has a NICKNAME for you Zoro!” Nami squealed as Sanji wiggled in her arms. Zoro had just finished sitting down next to Nami, when Sanji had said it, more like yelled it really.

 

“It’s not a NICKNAME, he’s just too stupid to fully pronounce my name!” Zoro growled as he unscrewed the lid of the jar of baby food and placed it on the table. Nami gently passed Sanji over to Zoro, Sanji trying to grab at whatever part of Zoro he could reach. Zoro dug out a spoonful of the baby food, bringing the spoon to Sanji’s mouth.

 

“Come on JiJi, here comes the train- thing- uh- Choo choo!” Sanji giggled, opening his mouth and Zoro swooped the spoonful of food into his mouth.

 

“Wow Zoro, you look pretty good domesticated.” Nami laughed before swallowing down a forkful of the simple spaghetti dish she and Robin had thrown together.

 

“SHUT UP WITCH!” Zoro roared as he scooped up another spoonful of food, looking down to watch as Sanji swallowed it down, bits of food at the corners of his mouth. Zoro scooped it away with the tip of his spoon and slipped it into Sanji’s mouth. _Don’t waste food, right chef? Hehe._

 

“I want SANJI’S cooking!” Luffy whined as he took mouthful after mouthful of spaghetti.

 

“If you hate my food so much why are you still eating it?!” Nami screamed, leaning over the table and reaching over Luffy, punching him in the back of the head and slamming him squarely into his plate of food. Whatever was left of his food anyway, considering how much of it he’s already eaten.

 

“Zoro, I’m surprised at how fond of you Sanji has grown, and it looks like you’re taking fantastic care of him.” Chopper looked up at Zoro from the other end of the table, watching as Zoro fed Sanji spoonful after small spoonful. Sanji burbled happily and Zoro chuckled at the toddler, using his thumb to wipe away a smudge on the cook’s cheek.

 

“Yeah, well.. he’s not so bad to be around when he’s not trying to kick my head in, although sometimes, it looks like he’s really trying to.” Zoro reached out for his own fork and scooped up a large amount of spaghetti, leaning over Sanji to take a bite as the noodles dangled from his fork, but before he could, Sanji reached up and grabbed onto the dangling food, yanking it down and spilling it over himself.

 

“Oh shit… Sanji!” Zoro growled as he picked the noodles off the child.

 

“Shit!” Sanji cried out giggling.

 

Zoro’s eyes went as wide as dinner plates as he stared down at Sanji. _Don’t say that in front on the witch! I’M gonna get in trouble you asshole!_

 

“ZORO!” Nami and Usopp practically screeched at him.

 

“WHAT?! He says it all the time, he’s going to be back to normal soon anyway! What does it matter if he learns a few of his favourite words early?!” Zoro defended himself.

 

“What do you MEAN ‘what does it matter’ you asshole! He’s still a baby!” Nami wailed at the swordsman, clapping a hand over her mouth as she realized what had just slipped past her lips, but it was too late.

 

“ASS!” Sanji repeated and Zoro burst out into a fit of laughter as Nami’s face turned a bright red from her complete embarrassment.

 

“Looks like I’m not the only bad influence!” Zoro continued to laugh at Nami’s displeasure before being thunked forcefully in the back of his head by one of her famous punches and Sanji joined in on the laughter that had now infected the entire table.

 

“Looks like he needs a bath Zoro.” Usopp laughed around a forkful of spaghetti.

 

“Well cook, come on then, bath time. And time to get away from this DEMON you constantly mistake for an angel.” Zoro threw his empty plate into the sink before exiting the galley and making his way to the bathroom. He put Sanji down on the tile floor before walking over to the tub to draw the bath. While the water was drawing he took his swords off, placing them to the side before removing the rest of his clothes, revealing tanned skin stretched over large muscles. He threw his clothes in the laundry basket. _Shit, Sanji is usually the one that does the laundry._ Zoro walked over to Sanji and pulled off his small pajamas, then picked him up and walked him to the tub. He stepped into the warm water, reaching over with one free hand to turn off the tap. He lowered himself and Sanji slowly into the water and watched as Sanji splashed around playfully, giggling and kicking his feet.

 

“Well it’s not like I expected any less from you cook, even now, you still love the water.” Zoro laughed as he dragged his fingers through Sanji’s short, blond hair. He used one hand to hold him up while he used the other to scoop up handfuls of water and let it drip onto Sanji’s hair. He grabbed a nearby cloth and wiped the spaghetti sauce off of him.

 

*knock knock knock*

 

“Yeah, come in.” Zoro called out and watched as Chopper poked his head around the door.

 

“Hey Zoro, I brought Sanji some new clothes, also, I thought it would be a good idea if you used the medical room to sleep in until Sanji is back to normal, all the baby stuff is in there already anyway. We all snore too loudly and I wouldn’t want to wake him. Do you mind sharing a bed with him until Franky can make him one?”

 

“I don’t mind at all. Thanks Chopper.” Zoro smiled at the small reindeer, who put the new sleep dress next to the towels and slipped out of the bathroom happily, padding off to probably do more reading on baby care. He was pretty sure that he was going to be stuck shopping with the girls the next day to go looking for more child supplies for the cook, including more books for Chopper to read considering how limited their medical library must be on the subject of CHILD CARE (What? Why would they need books on ANY of that?). He can’t imagine the little fur ball ever being able to get close to a baby back at his home village to practice treatment or childcare on without scaring it and he would probably have to learn from reading about it.

 

“Now, to get you all cleaned up before bed time.” Zoro smiled down at the cook who was splashing around happily. Sanji’s cheeks were flushed a light pink from the heat of the bath as he giggled and thrashed around. Zoro held up Sanji by his back and head so that he could float on the surface of the water. Sanji smiled and let his eyes gently fall shut, enjoying the feel of the water. Zoro used his left hand and arm to hold up Sanji while he lathered his hair in soap with the other. Feeling the dirt and grime of the day wash away as he dipped his head back and washed out the soap. After a while, Zoro decided to finish up and take Sanji to bed. He got out of the tub and dried Sanji off with a towel before slipping the pajamas over the cook’s head. _Well at least you listened to me this time._ He dried himself off and wrapped a towel around his waist, scooping up his swords with his free arm, he carried Sanji down to the men’s room to get changed into his own pajamas. Once he was changed, he took Sanji to the medical room and plopped himself down in the bed, cradling the cook in his arms. Zoro dangled his fingers above the cook’s head and watched as he grabbed on to the closest one, bringing to his mouth and gnawing at it.

 

“How come you’re so nice with Robin but you always have to bite me? Or are you tasting me for when you cook me alive to get back at me for doing this?” Zoro laughed when Sanji yawned and cuddled up into his chest. Zoro laid himself down and placed Sanji on his chest, pulling the sheets over both of them and grazing his fingertips soothingly over the cook’s back until they both fell asleep.

 

2:00 am. The cook woke up at 2:00 am. I mean, it’s not like there was a CLOCK on the Thousand Sunny but Zoro had gotten pretty good at judging what time it was by the position of the moon in the sky. The cook can call him stupid all he wants but he probably couldn’t do HALF the stuff Zoro could do. But now was not the time to be building himself up. Crying baby. Zoro massaged the bridge of his nose between his fingers as he bounced Sanji around in his arm, trying to calm down the crying child.

 

“Shit, shit, shit… what makes babies sleep..?” Zoro wracked his brain, trying to think of something. _What sooths me when I’m cranky?_ Well, fighting with the cook, sake, cutting things. None of that seemed like it would work for a baby.. Brook’s songs are always rather calming! _A song? Really?_  Well it’s not like there was really much else. There was this one song Brook was always singing, the only one Zoro could fully remember, maybe that will calm him down. What was it called again..? _Bink’s Sake._

 

 _“Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm. Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm._  
_Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm. Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm._  
_Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm. Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm._  
_Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm. Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm.”_

Zoro hummed as he held Sanji to his chest in both arms, bouncing him lightly.

 

 _“Gather up all the crew, time to ship out Bink's brew._  
_Sea wind blows to where, who knows? The waves will be our guide._  
_O'er across the ocean's tide, the sunset is goin' wild,_  
_See the sky, the birds singing in circles passing by.”_

 _Bid farewell to weaver's town, say so long to port renowned._  
_Sing a song, it won't be long, before we're casting off._  
_Cross the gold and silver waves, changin' into water sprays._  
_Sailing out on our journey, to the ends of the sea.”_

 

Zoro yawned and looked down at Sanji. _Guess singing is working. I’ll have to remember that._ Zoro wiped the last of Sanji’s tears from his eyes, watching as they slowly fell shut.

 

 _“Gather up all the crew, time to ship out Bink's brew._  
_Pirates we, we'll divide and conquer all the seas._  
_With the waves to rest our heads, the ship beneath us as our bed._  
_Hoisted high up on the mast our Jolly Roger flies._

 _Somewhere in the endless sky, a storm has started comin' by._  
_Waves are dancing, having fun, time to sound the drums._  
_If we let blow winds of fear, then the end of us is near._  
_Even so, tomor-row the sun will rise again.”_

 _“Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm. Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm._  
_Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm. Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm._  
_Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm. Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm._  
_Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm. Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm._

 _Gather up all the crew, time to ship out Bink's brew._  
_Could be today, could be tomorrow, twilight dreaming._  
_No longer now can we see, shadow hands still waving free_  
_Why worry, there's sure to be a moonlit night again.”_

 

Sanji finally drifted back to sleep in Zoro’s arms and Zoro sighed in relief. Laying back down in the bed, he let his eye lids fall and finished humming the rest of the song to himself until he fell asleep.

 

 _“Gather up all the crew, time to ship out Bink's brew._  
_Sing a song, a lively song, for all the oceans wide._  
_After all is said and done, we all end up skeletons._  
_Endless, aimless, the story on the uproarious seas._

 _Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm…. Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm._  
_Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm… Hmm, Hm.. Hm, Hmm._  
_Hmm, Hm.. Hm, Hmm… Hmm.. Hm…. Hm… Hm-“_


	3. Day 2 - Dirty dreams

When he woke up, Sanji was still sleeping on top of his chest, so he stayed still for a while. Maybe he could even meditate like this… No probably not a good idea when he’s supposed to be giving Sanji his full attention. After an hour, Sanji woke groggily and Zoro scooped him up, carrying him to the galley to give him his breakfast. Sleeping in the medical bay does have its advantages. He’s right next to the galley, making it easy for him if Sanji ever needed a midnight snack. Zoro poured some milk into a pot, just like he had done yesterday, warming it up and pouring it into a clean bottle. Sanji took small sips but still managed to let a trail of milk fall down his cheek, which Zoro wiped away. Suddenly, the galley door creaked open, followed by a rather loud man.

 

“YO! Zoro-bro! I finished up that crib last night, you looked so tired though that I didn’t bother you. If you want, I can bring it in to the medical room for you! It looks SUPER, if I do say so myself.” Zoro leaned around to see Franky carrying said crib under one of his massive arms. It was a creamy white colour, three sides of the crib were adorned with thick rails and the last side, the back, was a full plank of wood and covered in paintings of fish and bubbles. There was a deep blue blanket inside the crib, one of the girls must have gone shopping for it in town after Zoro had fallen asleep.

 

“Usopp-bro helped me paint it so I’m sure the little tyke will love it.” Franky laughed as he walked over to Sanji and Zoro. Sanji was staring at Franky wide eyed. Can’t blame him, Franky looks so… robotic now, even Zoro was a bit surprised when they re-met in Sabaody. Sanji let the bottle fall from his lips and right when Zoro thought he was about to cry, Sanji spoke.

 

“Wanky!” Sanji giggled up at the blushing cyborg.

 

“Whoa! You taught him how to say our names? Nice one bro, that’s SUPER cute! Hey, little bro, check this out.” Franky pushed down on his large metal nose, waiting for a few seconds before releasing it and Zoro watched as long curtains of hair popped out of his head, falling to his feet. Zoro laughed at the way Sanji giggled and grasped a thin clump of long, blue hair into his small fingers. He tugged at it lightly and Franky smiled widely at the toddler.

 

“I didn’t teach him any of our names yet… I guess that just further implies that he still remembers us.” It honestly didn’t really matter if Sanji remembered them right now or not, this whole baby thing was only temporary, even so, it made Zoro feel oddly happier knowing that the cook chooses to stay with him even remembering who he is. Well, maybe he’s not specifically choosing him but he’s not crying, so that’s a good sign.

 

Soon, the rest of the crew woke up and Nami, along with Robin, got to work making breakfast. Everybody sat around the table and stared at Sanji and Zoro.

 

“Come on Sanji, say CAP-TAIN-U-SOPP. CAP-TAIN-U-SOPP.” Usopp leaned in close, listening intently to what the toddler would say next. He was more than a little surprised when Sanji reached out and grabbed on to Usopp’s nose.

 

“NOSE!” Everybody laughed at the way Usopp fumed but didn’t remove himself from Sanji’s grasp, not wanting to scare the toddler or upset him, letting him tug at his nose.

 

“Okay everybody, since there’s no way to change Sanji back and we just have let this thing run its course, I decided it would be best if we set sail again this afternoon, we don’t want to stay in one place for too long after all.” Nami brought a couple of plates over to the table, stacked high with pancakes while Robin brought over a large bowl of fruit and a serving spoon. An arm suddenly appeared in front of Zoro and passed him a jar of baby food.

 

“Thank Robin.” Zoro took the jar from her hand, uncapping it and going about feeding Sanji his breakfast. “Now don’t make a mess this time..” Zoro fed Sanji slowly, taking large bites of his pancakes in between feeding the cook and laughing at how eagerly Sanji gobbled it all down.

 

“HEY! I wonder if he can say MY name! Sanji! Say, LU-FFY!” Luffy leaned over the table and smiled expectantly at Sanji.

 

“Hmm.. nah… Ooo.. Oof-ie. Uhm- King!”

 

“YEAH! That’s right Sanji! KING OF THE PIRATES! That’s me! Shishishishishi!” Luffy shouted happily, laughing and jumping onto the table. Zoro could see Nami’s face turning a bright, angry shade of red, a vein throbbing on her forehead. She made a good replacement as Sanji when it comes to her anger towards misbehaviour in the kitchen, but only in that really. Her cooking would never match Sanji’s.

 

“HEY! How come he’s King and I’m stuck with being ‘Nose’?! That’s not fair!” Usopp screamed from his seat as they all watched Nami drag Luffy down from the table. Chopper jumped down from his seat and walked over to where Sanji and Zoro were seated, he looked like he was about to say something to Zoro, probably some questions about how Sanji was behaving and if he was adjusting well, but he was interrupted the second he opened his mouth.

 

“Fwuffy!” Sanji cried out happily, reaching for Chopper with his small arms.

 

“I guess he does look pretty fluffy huh? Here Chopper, I think he wants you to hold him.” Zoro carefully passed Sanji over to the blushing reindeer. He didn’t really like the idea of anybody else holding Sanji, but Chopper had always seemed to be an exception to his rules. Sanji snuggled up happily against Chopper’s soft fur.

 

Whatever Chopper was going to say seemed to be forgotten as Sanji giggled and grasped at the reindeer.

 

Chopper passed Sanji back to Zoro and Zoro continued to feed the toddler the mushy, orange looking stuff called ‘Carrots’. He was pretty sure that if Sanji wasn’t a child right now, he would surely be complaining about the store bought crap he was being fed. He would eat every last bite, but only after adding his own special touches to it. Then afterwards, he would continue to make his own version of the recipe. Not like he had a choice right now.

 

Breakfast was as rambunctious as it always is. Luffy trying to steal everybody’s food, Usopp telling his tall tales, Brook singing his songs. The only thing that was missing was Sanji and Zoro’s bickering, replaced with the sound of Sanji’s childish laughter.

 

-0-0-0-

 

At a little before noon, the whole crew got prepared to go back onto the island for one last shopping trip before sailing out in the afternoon. Zoro was forced to walk through town with Nami and Robin, just like he had anticipated the day prior, because, _‘I won’t have you getting lost while you’re carrying Sanji around!’_ and _‘You don’t even know what you’re looking for!’_ So now, he’s stuck trailing behind two women talking about whatever the hell it is women talk about while everybody they pass on the street gives Zoro these weird looks. Even if the people in town had no idea who he is, seeing a guy who looks as rough as he does carrying around such an innocent looking child would worry anybody. _People probably think that I stole him._ Zoro laughed to himself at the thought.

 

Robin and Nami dragged Zoro into all sorts of different stores, some of them he refused to even enter and just waited for them outside. Nami of course was cluttered with bags by the end of the shopping trip whilst Robin had only bought a book she found particularly interesting.

 

Zoro imagined the cook trailing behind the girls, hundreds of bags and boxes balancing in his arms as he listened intently to every word that they said. Hearts in his eyes as he danced around in circles and complimented every choice they made. _Stupid love-cook._

 

“I don’t see how you can stand these creatures.” Zoro mumbled to Sanji as he walked. “If I were you, I would have torn out all that pretty blond hair of yours a hundred times over just listening to them.” Sanji laughed but Zoro was pretty sure that he was gonna get his ass kicked for saying that when he got back to normal. Since Zoro had his hands full with Sanji, Nami was unfortunately unable to convince him to carry her bags for her and Robin ended up using her extra sets of arms to carry all the baby supplies.

 

Once everybody was back to the ship and all the supplies was loaded, they set sail back onto open waters. The rocking of the ship was a welcome change compared to the stillness of land. Not that Zoro didn’t like being on land, he had been for most of his life after all. But it was calming being out on the open sea.

 

Zoro spent most of the afternoon in his training room. He had convinced Robin to watch Sanji for a little while, after all, he couldn’t let himself grow any weaker just because he had to babysit now. He was interrupted halfway through his routine though when he heard Sanji crying and Robin’s voice as she tried to calm him down. Zoro turned around to see that she had entered the crow’s nest with Sanji in her arms.

 

She looked like a mess, which baffled Zoro because she was ALWAYS calm and composed. But right now, her hair was a tangled mess, her clothes were ruffled, and she looked absolutely exhausted. Sanji wailed in her arms as she rocked him back and forth, giving Zoro a pleading look. Zoro almost laughed at the way she was looking at him, it was so unlike her to not have control over a situation.

 

“I’ve been attempting to calm him down for the past few hours but nothing seems to be working, I know that I promised you I would watch him until you were finished but-“

 

“Its fine Robin, I understand, give him to me.” Robin passed Sanji to Zoro before taking a seat on one of the benches. Sanji slowly started to calm down while Zoro bounced him up and down. He was still covered in sweat from his workout so they would probably both be needing another bath after this.

 

“It’s rather odd, don’t you think? He always spends every waking moment fawning over the navigator and I, but right now, there’s nobody he would rather be with other than you.”

 

“Nah, I’m sure there must be SOMEBODY in the crew that he wouldn’t mind spending a couple hours with, we’ll just have to find out who it is. Well, at least I got SOME workout time in, thanks Robin.”

 

“I would say that I would be happy to do it for you anytime but really, I would rather never have to do that again.” Robin smiled while she fixed her hair and smoothed down her clothes and after she finished fixing herself up, she left the crow’s nest and made her way to the galley to help Nami with dinner.

 

“You’re just trying to piss me off aren’t you cook. Not giving me any time to myself. I knew you would take advantage of this.” Zoro laughed, giving Sanji a quick kiss on his forehead. Sanji giggled happily and grabbed onto a tuft of Zoro’s hair, pulling at it softly. “Gah! You little shit- let go!” Zoro chuckled before putting back on his shirt and taking the both of them down to dinner.

 

Once dinner had come and gone, Zoro took Sanji into the medical room to pick him up a new pair of pajamas before taking him to the bath. The first thing he noticed when he walked in the room was the furniture was moved around. Franky had brought in the crib he and Usopp had made, it was filled a couple of soft looking pillows on either side of the crib and at least a dozen stuffed animals. _It looks like they gave him an entire zoo of stuffed animals…_ The medical bed had been moved slightly to make room for the crib to sit at the end of the bed. _That makes it easy for if he wakes up in the night again I suppose._ There was also a small mobile hanging above the crib, a couple of fish dangled from it as it spun around lazily. There were stacks of diapers and fresh clothes set on Chopper’s desk as well as a pair of Sanji’s old pajama pants. They were probably there just in case he turned back to normal some time during the night and needed something to change into.The second thing he noticed was that it didn’t smell nearly as much like medicine as it usually does. It was a lot… fresher. Somebody must have aired it out and removed some of the smellier medicines. _Wish it smelled this nice all the time considering how often Chopper forces me to spend the night in here. Maybe I should get hurt less._

 

Zoro grabbed a clean pair of pajamas for the cook before carrying him to the bath. He watched the smile spread across Sanji’s face as he began to draw the water and smiled to himself. Zoro could already tell this was going to be his favourite time of day, watching the cook splash and giggle and try his hardest to swim. Zoro blew bubbles into the water and laughed at the way Sanji tried to catch them in between his fingers.

 

“You like the bubbles, huh? I bet you would just LOVE it if I could get some fish in here with you. Or maybe we could use the shark-submerge to take you to the fish, hahaha.” Sanji seemed to like that idea. “I wonder how you would react if you ever accidentally ate one of those devil fruits. You wouldn’t be able to swim or save that captain of ours. You wouldn’t be able to enjoy the All Blue when you find it either, because you will find it. It’s real, I know it is, and with the way you talk about it, I’m sure you know that too.” Sanji stared up at Zoro, eyes wide as if he were listening intently, even though that was probably impossible considering how young he must be. He looked only a year old but he couldn’t be sure.

 

“…I hope I get to see it with you, well, if I live long enough.” Zoro laughed at the way Sanji splashed and tried to throw water at the swordsman, an ALMOST angry look spreading across Sanji’s face. The cook didn’t have to say it for Zoro to know what he was trying to communicate with him. _You dumbass! Of course you’re going to live long enough, don’t talk like that! I’ll kick your ass!_ Sanji looked up at Zoro, determined and angry and GOD it was cute. He reached out his tiny arms and yelped.

 

“Bwah!” Zoro didn’t exactly know what it meant but he was pretty sure the child wanted him to lean down, so he did. He felt the cook shifting in his hands slightly and changed his hold on him to keep him from slipping from his grasp and into the soapy water. He was surprised when he felt two small hands on either side of his face and a small pair of lips softly peck at his own before pulling away again. Zoro stared down at the still rather determined looking cook and a blush crept across his face.

 

“Shit-Ass!” Sanji exclaimed at the still stunned swordsman who, after what seemed like ages, burst into a fit of laughter and pulled the cook into a hug.

 

“You’re probably gonna kick yourself when you remember that” Zoro laughed and began peppering kissed all over the cook’s body, light pecks across his shoulders, chest, and the top of his head, sending Sanji into a fit of giggles.

 

Zoro finished up washing Sanji before pulling him out of the soapy water and toweling the both of them off. Sanji giggled happily as he shoved at the towel in Zoro’s hands. Even as a child he can’t let ANYTHING be easy for the swordsman. Geez. Zoro tickled the tiny cook, watching his arms flail before blowing raspberries on his stomach and playing with his toes. After he was finished playing with Sanji, he slipped a new pair of pajamas over his head, putting on a pair of his own as well. He carried him back to the medical room and pushed on the mobile that dangled above the crib, watching it spin around lazily.

 

 _“Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm. Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm._  
_Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm. Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm._  
_Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm. Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm._  
_Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm. Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm.”_

Zoro began to hum the same song he had sung for Sanji the night before, rocking the cook gently in his arms.

 

 _“Gather up all the crew, time to ship out Bink's brew._  
_Sea wind blows to where, who knows? The waves will be our guide._  
_O'er across the ocean's tide, the sunset is goin' wild,_  
_See the sky, the birds singing in circles passing by.”_

 _Bid farewell to weaver's town, say so long to port renowned._  
_Sing a song, it won't be long, before we're casting off._  
_Cross the gold and silver waves, changin' into water sprays._  
_Sailing out on our journey, to the ends of the sea.”_

 _“Gather up all the crew, time to ship out Bink's brew._  
_Pirates we, we'll divide and conquer all the seas._  
_With the waves to rest our heads, the ship beneath us as our bed._  
_Hoisted high up on the mast our Jolly Roger flies._

 _Somewhere in the endless sky, a storm has started comin' by._  
_Waves are dancing, having fun, time to sound the drums._  
_If we let blow winds of fear, then the end of us is near._  
_Even so, tomor-row the sun will rise again.”_

 _“Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm. Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm._  
_Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm. Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm._  
_Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm. Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm._  
_Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm. Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm._

 _Gather up all the crew, time to ship out Bink's brew._  
_Could be today, could be tomorrow, twilight dreaming._  
_No longer now can we see, shadow hands still waving free_  
_Why worry, there's sure to be a moonlit night again.”_

 _“Gather up all the crew, time to ship out Bink's brew._  
_Sing a song, a lively song, for all the oceans wide._  
_After all is said and done, we all end up skeletons._  
_Endless, aimless, the story on the uproarious seas._

 _Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm. Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm._  
_Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm. Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm._  
_Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm. Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm._  
_Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm. Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm.”_

Zoro watched Sanji’s chest slowly rising and falling as he slept peacefully and placed him in his crib, draping a blanket over his small body. Zoro smiled down at the sleeping cook and dragged himself over to the bed, falling asleep quickly and drifting into a very vivid dream.

 

_Zoro and Sanji were back in the bath, steam filling the room and creating a relaxing atmosphere, Sanji was sitting loosely in the swordsman’s arms and splashing around in the bubbly water. Sanji suddenly stretched his arms out, beckoning the swordsman down to his level before slapping one of his tiny hands over his eyes. Zoro took the hint and closed his eyes, smiling to himself as he began to imagine what he would find when he opened his eyes. Maybe the cook will have given himself a mustache with the bubbles, or a beard?_

_Zoro laughed to himself when he suddenly felt a very full pair of lips covering his own. His eye shot open and he was met with a fully grown Sanji, leaning over him and kissing him thoroughly. Zoro looked down to see the hands that used to be supporting Sanji were now firmly gripping onto his hips, he squeezed them tentatively, causing the cook to gasp against his mouth. Zoro moaned when he felt Sanji’s tongue swipe across his bottom lip, begging him for entrance. Zoro let his jaw loosen and Sanji’s tongue invaded his mouth, licking at his teeth and Zoro allowed his eyes to fall shut, his fingers traveling lazily up the cook’s back before threading through blond hair. He felt his arousal growing as the kiss became more heated and soon he was itching for more contact. He let his hands come back down to the cook’s hips, pulling him down to grind on his now painfully hard-_

 

Zoro jolted awake when he heard the whimpering that always seemed to be followed by an outburst of wailing and he walked to the end of the bed. Nothing could kill morning wood as quickly as a crying baby. He stared down at Sanji who’s tears seemed to dry up instantly when he saw the drowsy swordsman and he reached out his hands in an attempt to grab onto him and pull him down to Sanji’s level. Zoro leaned down and picked Sanji up, cradling him in his arms and bouncing lightly as he yawned.

 

“Guess you’re not ready to sleep alone yet, huh?” Zoro watched as Sanji drifted back to sleep almost immediately after he made contact with the warm pair of arms he was now leaning into. Zoro eased himself back under the soft covers of the medical bed and placed Sanji on his chest, placing a hand on the cook’s back and slowly letting sleep take him. Hopefully he wouldn’t be having another one of those dreams during the night now that he was sharing a bed with the cook.

 

“You wanna know something shit-cook..? I think I might actually love you. Just a little…”


	4. Day 9 - A Bloody Battle on the Sunny

The past week had all been more or less the same. Zoro would ask a member of the crew if they could watch Sanji while he trained, but none of them would last very long. Robin had lasted the longest and he hadn’t even ATTEMPTED to ask Luffy. Zoro knew that off all the crew, besides the ladies, their captain was the most likely to get along with Sanji. But… Luffy really wasn’t the babysitting type. The upside though was that Zoro hadn’t been forced to take any watches during the night. Everybody ended up giving Sanji back to the swordsman after twenty minutes or so and Zoro would have to postpone his training. Sanji wouldn’t even go to sleep anymore unless the swordsman sung to him and let him sleep on his chest. If Zoro tried to put him in his crib, the cook would just end up crying at random points in the night until Zoro would pick him up and bring him to bed.

 

His dreams weren’t getting any better either. Well, that’s a bad way of putting it. They were certainly getting BETTER. They would happen every time he would try to make Sanji sleep in his own bed. In the most recent one, he dreamed that Sanji had him pinned down against the mattress of a hotel bed, kissing him passionately as he ground against him. Zoro had always been dominant in what few relationships he had had, but Sanji was so different. Sanji had always been different. He was the only one that could actually match Zoro in a fight. His strong legs were always able to defend against Zoro’s swords. Sanji could always match him in strength and in his silver tongue. Zoro remembers the dream so vividly.

 

_That same tongue that never failed to shower him with insults and curses was exploring his mouth and turning him into a hot mess as kitchen-calloused hands held Zoro by his wrists to the bed. Sanji thrust against him over and over and Zoro watched intently at Sanji’s one visible eye screwed tightly shut and his brow scrunched very intently as he focused on the heat coiling in his gut and he came closer and closer to his climax. Sanji moaned against the swordsman’s mouth and Sweat dripped down from his hair line and travelled down to his chin, where it caught on the short hairs that Sanji always seemed to keep so dutifully trimmed. Sanji always looked good, Zoro had acknowledged that from the moment he met him, he always kept himself well groomed and he always smelled REALLY good. Whenever Zoro and the cook got close in a fight, forehead to forehead and teeth grinding, Zoro could smell the soap he used in his hair. He could smell strawberries and vanilla. It matched him well, especially when it was mixed in with the many different spices he had used to cook with throughout the day. And of course, the cook wouldn’t be complete without the almost overpowering smell of tobacco that wafted from him, especially after a good, long smoke._

_Sanji suddenly moaned Zoro’s name before grinding down especially hard on the writhing swordsman. Zoro felt the cook pulsing against his member as he came and the overload of sensation sent him blissfully over the edge himself. He came hard against Sanji’s stuttering hips before jolting out of bed._

 

He had woken that day a sticky, sweating mess. His hair was mussed from his tossing and turning in his sleep and FUCK that dream had left him wanting so much more. Zoro looked over to see Sanji was still sleeping soundly in his crib meaning that he probably still had some time before he would wake up looking to sleep with Zoro again. Zoro quietly hopped out of bed and made his way to the men’s bunk and grabbed a clean pair of pajamas. He would have to take a quick shower though first. There was no way he was going to just change out of his pants and go back to bed. If Sanji woke up while he was showering he would just have to wait a little longer because he was absolutely sure that Sanji would wake up at some point wanting to sleep on the swordsman’s chest, like every single night. He reeked of arousal and come and WANT and even though Sanji wouldn’t be able to tell the difference, Zoro would know and letting him sleep on him like that would just feel WRONG. Just the fact that he had done something like that in the same ROOM as the child made him feel guilty and gross. So he showered. A very cold shower. He also soaked his pajama pants in the water so that if anybody found them, they would just think he was being a dumbass and got ‘LOST’ and fell off the ship during the night. Nobody needed to see those stains…

 

Once he returned to the medical room, leaning in from the doorway he could see that Sanji was still sleeping peacefully. He entered the room fully, turning around to close the door as quietly as he could. Maybe he was still nervous from the dream because his hand shook and the door made a very audible *clunck* when it closed. Zoro winced when he heard the tiny chef rouse from sleep and we all know how the rest went down.

 

This is how Zoro ended up sitting under one of the trees of the Thousand Sunny, half asleep as he watched Sanji playing with Usopp, Chopper and Luffy and waited for the cook to notice that he wasn’t there. Usopp had created some sort of bubble blowing invention that he had constantly turned on as he told a tale of ‘The Great Captain Usopp!’ Chopper and Luffy sat on either side of the child as they listened intently and poked at the bubbles that floated lazily in the air around them.

 

Zoro really couldn’t trust his dreams anymore, but it’s not like he could just STOP sleeping. It seemed like the three morons could take care of Sanji, if only for twenty minutes, and he had barely gotten any sleep over the past few week. It’s not that he wasn’t sleeping AT ALL, but because Sanji just HAD to sleep on top of Zoro EVERY night, Zoro couldn’t allow himself sleep as deeply as usual out of fear of turning over in his sleep and suffocating the kid. Zoro just needed a nap. He let his eye fall shut as begged whatever ‘GOD’ was out there that he didn’t have another nasty dream while out on the deck of the Sunny.

 

However, Zoro’s brain had other ideas and started wandering back in the direction of the cook. Zoro thought back to the smell of Sanji’s cigarettes. That same smell that hundreds of people would complain about and call disgusting had always put Zoro at ease. He would go so far as to say he enjoyed the smell. He could almost tell how the cook was feeling by how strongly he reeked of those cancer sticks. Zoro noticed that Sanji would smoke less when he was happy, leaning more towards just letting the cigarette sit between his lips and a dumb smile spread across his face. When he was angry or sad or depressed, he would smoke a lot more. If he wasn’t leaning towards any particular feeling, he would only light up when he felt the need. Zoro had only seen Sanji distraught once, he binge smoked so much that Zoro was afraid he would cough up a shriveled, black lung and pass out.

 

That had been at Thriller Bark. He remembered waking up after being unconscious for a few days to the overpowering smell of tobacco. Apparently, the cook had smoked multiple packs worrying over his injuries. He remembered opening his eyes and seeing Sanji leaning over him, his fists balled up tightly and a cigarette hanging from his lips. His teeth were clenched tight and Zoro let his eyes wander to the ash tray the cook had on his lap. It was filled with at least twenty butts that had been smoked of all their worth. Zoro reached his hand out, placing it on the cook’s fist and smiling genuinely at the cook for the first time since he had met him. Sanji’s head snapped up and he stared at the swordsman, mouth gaping and cigarette falling from his lips, landing in the ash tray and snuffing itself out. Zoro saw his lip quivering as tears began to spill down his face. Sanji chocked back a whimper and wrapped his hand tightly around Zoro’s, bowing his head and refusing to look the swordsman in the eyes as he sobbed softly. Zoro had said nothing, instead, he silently closed his eyes again and laid there with the cook.

 

Sanji had built him his favourite meal that night. Neither of them had said anything, neither of them needed to, but they took more notice of each other after that. Every once in a while, Sanji would ‘accidentally’ leave a bottle of saké out on the kitchen table before going to bed during one of Zoro’s watch shifts and Zoro complained a lot less when Sanji asked him to help. He would help him carry ingredients from town without a word of complaint on his better days.

 

Zoro had grown to appreciate all the work Sanji did around the ship, especially now that he wasn’t able to. Speaking of which…

 

Zoro opened his eye when he noticed the presence of one long nosed moron sitting next to him.

 

“Luffy’s got him. They’re making faces right now. I just needed a break from speaking so much.”

 

“That’s funny, I never thought the great Captain Usopp would grow tired of regaling youth of his tails at sea.” Zoro mumbled as he sat up fully. He looked over at Sanji, to see the Chopper was now at heavy point and holding him gently in one hand while Luffy stretched out his lower lip to hit the ground, sending Sanji into a fit of giggles.

 

“Hey Zoro?” Usopp interrupted the swordsman’s daze once again Zoro looked over at the long-nose pirate to see the he was staring at Sanji and the captain as well.

 

“Hmm?”

 

“Why do you think he chooses you?” Zoro blushed slightly at the question, but quickly tried to cover it up by scoffing and looking the opposite direction of their sniper.

 

“How the hell am I supposed to know? I’m sure he’s just trying to piss me off as much as he can before he changes back to norm-“

 

“It annoys you to babysit him?” Usopp looked over at the swordsman without moving his head, raising his eyebrows in question.

 

“We-well.. no. NO. Absolutely not. Sometimes I don’t get enough sleep at night and sometimes he can be a bit of a pain in the ass when I want to train but can’t without him balling his eyes out. He’s always shitting himself and laughs when I have to clean his diaper, he makes a complete mess when he eats, and-and he won’t even go to SLEEP unless I sing to him so-“ Zoro’s rant about the tiny ball of drool currently cradled in Chopper’s arms was cut shirt once again by Usopp’s questions.

 

“You sing to him?” Usopp sounded even more surprised by that and turned his head to fully face the swordsman, who was now blushing madly.

 

“Uhhh… well, I guess, yeah. That’s what you do with babies, right? It calms them down and makes them sleepy or whatever! So I just used one of the songs that Brook always sings. It was the only way I could get some peace at night anyway!” Zoro added the last part almost like a desperate afterthought when he saw the way Usopp was smirking at him.

 

“You know Zoro, It’s starting to sound like you actually LIKE this whole situation. Maybe we should see about getting more of those.. what were they called? WISHING flowers! And you could be Sanji’s daddy forever an- WAHH!” Usopp screamed and ran to hide in his workshop in the under belly of the Sunny when he saw Zoro draw his sword and bring it dangerously close to chopping off Usopp’s nose.

 

Zoro frowned as he thought about Usopp’s words. If Zoro was honest, and he wasn’t one to make a habit of lying to himself and trying to convince himself of things that weren’t true, he didn’t dislike the cook’s company. Even before he was turned into a child, he had always enjoyed fighting with him. He loved how passionate the cook could be when he was cooking, watching his knife practically vibrate with how quickly he could chop any food that made it to his cutting board. Flames shooting out of pots and pans as he cooked up delicious meals fit to be served to none other than the King of the Pirates. He always seemed to be smiling when he cooked, and he had this amazing laugh… he never laughed enough for Zoro’s liking, he was always too busy swooning over his ladies or yelling at the crew to allow himself to join in on the fun.

 

Zoro’s blush deepened as he realized how fond he was becoming of the cook, and where he had allowed his mind to wander. _What am I here? A teenage girl with a crush? In a few days, Sanji will be back to normal and act like none of this ever happened._

 

“RORO!” Zoro’s head snapped back in the direction of where he knew the tiny chef to be and he laughed when he saw how desperately Chopper was trying to control the child who was obviously trying his hardest make it to Zoro. Zoro was about to stand up and walk over, rolling forward so he was on one knee, when he noticed Chopper placing the toddler on the ground. Zoro stared wide eyed as Sanji pushed himself up onto his feet from the crawling position he was in and took a slow, tentative step forward. Zoro’s heart practically jumped out of his chest when Sanji continued to take step after step towards the gaping swordsman, crossing the grassy lawn of the Sunny until finally, he made it to Zoro.

 

Sanji fell forward into Zoro’s arms. Zoro sat there for what seemed like ages before Sanji looked up at him and yelped.

 

“SHIT-ASS!” Zoro continued to gape at the child for another minute before a face-splitting grin spread across his face. He scooped up the child and stood up, spinning him around and tossing him into the air, catching him into his arms and pulling him into a soft embrace.

 

“That’s my Jiji! Way to go you wonderful, perverted, little cook!” Zoro laughed as he held Sanji close and nuzzled into soft blond hair.

 

“Everybody! Come quick! Sanji is walking! And he’s swearing at Zoro too!” Chopper cried happily before transforming back to his original form. He bounced up and down as he waited for everybody to arrive on deck. Nami and Robin hurried out of the galley where they had been preparing lunch, Franky and Usopp appearing from their work areas.

 

“No way Bro! That’s SUUUPPPERRR awesome!” Franky exclaimed, going into his usual pose.

 

Luffy had just finished climbing the mast. Again. So he just wrapped his feet around the mast and stretched his legs until he was eye level with the crew, hanging like a damn stretchy sail. Brooke ran out from wherever he was hiding on the deck as well, joining the rest of the crew to gather around the toddler. Sanji giggled in Zoro’s arms and Zoro quickly noticed that everybody was staring at him, some giggling at the way he practically swooned over the cook’s newest accomplishment.

 

Zoro leaned down and placed Sanji on the deck of the Sunny and watched as everybody sat around him and the cook in a circle. Nami stretched her arms out wide and smiled at the confused child.

 

“Come on Sanji-kun! Show me you can walk! Come over here sweetie!” Zoro picked the cook up by his pits and stood him up on his feet gently. He slowly let go of the cook until he was standing on his own feet. Sanji started to wobble and Zoro quickly reached his arms out to catch him. Sanji grabbed onto the swordsman’s large, calloused hands with his own small ones. Zoro slowly began to guide Sanji towards the navigator, removing his hands from Sanji’s until he was finally walking on his own again.

 

Nami smiled as she caught the cook in her arms and cuddled him lovingly.

 

“We’re only making sandwiches for lunch but we’ll make the best feast we can accomplish for dinner to celebrate! How does that sound everybody?!” Everybody exclaimed happily at the navigator’s announcement, Luffy chanting for meat and Brook playing a song on his violin. Nami was just standing up to hand Sanji back to Zoro when suddenly-

 

*BOOM*

 

The boat lurched to one side as a cannonball landed mere inches away from the side of the ship, jarring it from its still position in the water and sending everybody off balance. Nami instinctively held Sanji closely to her chest to keep him from falling. Zoro whipped his head around to see the enemy pirate ship that had just come up on them from the side. _How the fuck had nobody seen that thing?_ Zoro was just unsheathing his swords when he noticed Nami pulling out her Climatact.

 

“Don’t you DARE even THINK about fighting while you’re holding him you witch!” Zoro shouted at Nami before hurrying her through the galley and into the medical room.

 

“Zoro! I can’t just sit here an-“

 

“You want me to take responsibility for once? Here I am! I am fighting for both of us now and somebody needs to take of him while I do! If he gets hurt I will cut your head off myself so you will stay put and protect my cook with your life!”

 

Nami stared up at Zoro, eyes wide in shock but slowly she nodded. Zoro leaned down and placed a kiss to Sanji’s head before running out of the medical room and shutting the door behind him. He knew very well how much shit he was going to get in for yelling at Nami but somebody needed to remind her why he was in charge of Sanji and nobody else. He knew what was best for the cook and would do everything he could to protect him.

 

By the time Zoro was back out on deck, the enemy pirates had already boarded the ship and were being taken down one by one by his own crew. Zoro unsheathed his swords and began cutting people down as fast as he could. _The sooner this is over, the sooner Sanji will be safe. This can’t happen right now! He’s too vulnerable!_

 

Thoughts of the cook clouded Zoro’s head as he removed the heads from pirate after bloody pirate. He could hear the war cries of every one of his nakama as they took down their own adversaries. Luffy was focused on the captain, as he always did whenever they went into battle.

 

“Gomu Gomu No…” Zoro prepared himself for the move he knew would follow judging by the stance that Luffy was in.

 

“Gatling Gun!!” And suddenly, hundreds of fists were flying in the air, almost every single landing on the captain of the enemy ship. The stray fists that the captain either dodged or just got lucky enough to miss somehow managed to take down random pirates from the other crew.

 

Zoro’s eyes travelled to a rather large grouping of pirates that seemed to be gathered around in a circle, he would have been worried about who it was they were crowding if it wasn’t for the sudden hands that sprouted from the back of every pirate surrounding who he was now sure had to be Robin. He watched the delicate arms wrapping around the necks of the pirates and listened in for the sickening crack which would soon be followed by either cries of agony or complete silence. Personally, he preferred the latter.

 

Suddenly, three large plants spurted from the ground, scooping up a couple pirates in their tentacle-like vines and flinging them over board.

 

“THAT’S WHAT YOU GET FOR MESSING WITH THE GREAT CAPTAIN USOPP!”

 

“Oh CAN IT you moron! I can hear your knees shaking from here!” Zoro announced before swooping in for another attack on a group of unsuspecting pirates. Zoro heard guns firing all around him and watched as Franky and Brook worked back to back to take down a swarm of pirates. The pirates weren’t very strong, but there were many of them. They must have been so tightly packed inside their ship that they had to sleep standing up. Like sardines in a can.

 

Zoro chuckled to himself at the thought of hundreds of angry pirates all stuck together in a tiny men’s bunk room on a ship. He was interrupted from his spree of killing and daydreaming when he suddenly heard a scream all too familiar. The damsel in distress.

 

“ZORO!” Nami screamed from the galley and Zoro was there in practically seconds. The first thing he saw was the pirate standing in the doorway of the medical room, gun pointed at their orange haired navigator, she looked desperately like she wanted to fight back, but she couldn’t risk it while she carried Sanji. Zoro was slow to sneak up behind the pirate before shouting from inches away.

 

“DUCK!” Nami dropped to the ground, clutching Sanji safely in her arms and she watched as the blade of Zoro’s sword sprouted from the man’s stomach. He gurgled something unintelligible through the blood the now blocked his throat before Zoro pulled the sword from his body. The man fell limply to the ground and lay still. Zoro kicked him out of the doorway and leaned down, offering his hand to Nami. She took it and Zoro pulled her up. He dragged a hand over Sanji’s head, watching blond locks fall back into place after being disturbed by the swordsman’s fingers. The cook’s eyes were red and puffy from crying. Zoro felt somewhat guilty he couldn’t end the fight faster, that way the cook wouldn’t have to cry anymore. Suddenly, Nami’s eyes bulged out of her head as she yelped.

 

“ZORO! LOOK OUT!” Zoro didn’t have to turn around to know what was coming, so he did what made the most sense in the moment.

 

“Don’t let him see Nami!” Zoro shoved Nami to the ground, trusting her to keep a tight grip on the cook still cradled in her arms as she landed on her ass. He then shot his arms out to his sides, gripping onto the edges of the door frame before everything suddenly slowed down. Nami screamed Zoro’s name but did as she was told and clapped a hand over Sanji’s eyes. Tears poured from her eyes as she stared at the bloody blade that was now protruding from the swordsman’s stomach. Zoro smirked as he felt a trickle of blood dribble down his chin and held his arms strong, blocking any entry into the room.

 

“Keep him safe for me, okay.. Nami?” Nami nodded numbly as she watched the blade suddenly disappear as fast as it had appeared. Zoro grunted and his knees suddenly felt week. He felt the blood begin to pour from the open wound, but held himself still as his vision began to fade. Zoro thought he heard Luffy shouting, he sounded far away though. Suddenly, the body behind him hit the ground with a loud thump and he knew his captain had made it there.

 

Zoro let his arms drop to his sides and fell to his knees. He brought a hand to mouth and coughed up blood, cursing under his breath before he fell into darkness. The last sound the swordsman heard was crying, and he knew it was Sanji.

 

_Damnit Nami, I told you not to let him see…_


	5. Day 9 - Save the Swordsman

“Quick! Get him on the bed, I have to operate before he bleeds out!” Franky picked up Zoro’s limp body and laid him on the bed as fast as he could without jarring the swordsman further. Nami watched the scene unfold in front of her eyes as if she were watching through a window, even though it was all inches away from her face and she could even feel the small splatters of Zoro’s blood dripping down her face. Her eyes glazed over as she sat there, motionless. The only thing keeping her grounded was what Zoro had said to her before… before he..

 

_“Keep him safe for me, okay.. Nami?”_

 

There had been no insult. It was a plea. A heart wrenching plea that threatened to rip Nami’s heart in two as she contemplated the situation. Nothing ever made her feel more alive than when she was face to face with marines or a group of enemy pirates, as long as she was by her nakama’s side. And nothing made her crash as hard as the aftershocks. It was never either of the girls that ended up like this. It was always those three. Luffy and Sanji and Zoro. They always fought the hardest and with all of their strength. They always took on the people that nobody else could. It was their job. But every single fight they came out of always left them in pieces, a jigsaw puzzle for Chopper to put back together again.

 

Here was Zoro, possibly the world’s greatest swordsman, brought down by some no name pirate. To protect her. _No, not her. He was protecting him._

 

Nami heard a voice distantly calling out to her and she was only pulled out of her trance when she felt somebody trying to tug Sanji out of her arms. She wrenched him away in shock.

 

“Don’t touch him!” Nami cried as she held the weeping child to her chest tightly, trying her hardest to calm him down in the midst of all the chaos.

 

“Nami! Please! You have to listen! Chopper needs to operate on Zoro. He can’t until everybody has left and that includes Sanji, it would be too traumatic for him to see any of that right now! NAMI!” Usopp shook Nami’s shoulders almost violently and tried to pull her from her delusions. Tears spilled from Nami’s eyes, but she nodded and took his hand. Usopp carried her out of the medical room and into the galley. It was still too close to the medical room for the snipers liking, but outside was probably worse. Blood everywhere and the corpses of their enemies littered the ground like leaves. Usopp had already sent the others outside to remove that problem.

 

Nami sat down at the table in the galley, holding Sanji close in her shaking arms as she rocked back and forth gently. Usopp went about making her a cup of coffee in the kitchen. He knew that she would probably prefer tea but he didn’t have any idea how to make it. He’s had to make his own coffee plenty of time late at night while he was working on inventions he desperately wanted to finish. There was silence for a long time, the only sounds were that of either Sanji or the navigator sniffling softly. Eventually, one of them spoke.

 

“He.. he told me to protect him, told me to keep him safe… Those… could have been his last words. You know…?” Nami choked back a sob that threatened to shatter whatever sense of calm she had built up. “He used his last words to tell me, the witch, to protect Sanji, the guy he’s supposed to hate.”

 

Usopp placed a hot cup of coffee on the table in front of Nami and sat down next to her, leaning his back against the table.

 

“Nami, you need to let me hold Sanji, you’ve been through a lot… you need to let it out and you can’t while you’re holding him… Nam-“

 

“I’m FINE, Usopp!”

 

“Nami, I understand you’re trying to do what Zoro told you but right now you are too upset to be looking over him! Sanji will be able to feel all of your pain and anger and you’re just going to end up hurting him. Please… just for a little while.” Nami sat still for a while, neither of them spoke as she gathered herself silently. Eventually, Robin walked in and sat herself on the other side of the navigator. She held out her arms and smiled gently.

 

Nami let out a shaky breath and released the tension that had been building up since the first enemy pirate had entered the medical room. Robin took the relaxation in the navigator’s shoulders as the ‘okay’ and took Sanji from her arms. Nami turned around immediately after and flung herself at Usopp, sobbing against his chest and wrapping her arms around his torso. Usopp stroked her back soothingly with one hand while the other lay gently on her head, fingers carding through her hair.

 

“He..he knows what happened… he knows what Zoro d-did for him.”

 

“Nami… you were still hiding his face even after we walked in the room… he didn’t see anything-“

 

“That doesn’t matter! It.. it doesn’t matter… Sanji isn’t stupid.. he wouldn’t be so quiet if he didn’t know… he would be crying. Every time he cries, Zoro comes running… But Sanji knows that he won’t come running right now.. no matter how hard he cries…”

 

“Nami…” Usopp attempted to comfort his nakama.

 

“I’m so weak… I just watched it all happen and waited for him to save me.. and now, even Sanji is being strong while I sit here crying and-“

 

“Nami! Why is this affecting you so much? Zoro has always been a self-sacrificial idiot, but he ALWAYS makes it through! Why are you suddenly doubting that so much? You have to TRUST him!” Usopp shook Nami by her shoulders. Nami bit her lip and nodded numbly. She knew Usopp was right. Zoro would be fine, like he always was. He’d been slashed wide open by Mihawk for god’s sake, he wasn’t a normal man.

 

Robin fished around the cabinet behind her for a jar of baby food. It was around lunch time and even if the rest of the crew wasn’t feeling very up to eating with all that had happened, it would be best to keep Sanji to a schedule. With Chopper operating, they probably wouldn’t be eating until dinner time. Robin pulled out a spoon and got to feeding the tiny chef, who ate slowly. He looked like he was holding back tears as he swallowed the mushy, orange carrot paste and it tugged at Robin’s heart. She let an extra ear bloom inside the medical room and listened in on the surgery. She could hear the steady beat of Zoro’s heart on the monitor and Chopper cursed at the swordsman under his breath.

 

_Good, if he’s angry at the swordsman he’s not panicking._

 

“You’re covered in blood Usopp… you should go take a bath with the rest of the guys, I’m sure they already went ahead and started one.” Nami smiled up shakily at the sniper. Usopp frowned, not wanting to leave her while she was still so upset, but when Robin gave him a reassuring smile, he knew he was fine to go. Usopp leaned over and kissed Nami’s forehead gently, ruffling her long, orange hair before making his way out of the galley and towards the bath.

 

“Well, miss navigator, it looks like we have quite a bit of work ahead of us.” Robin smiled as she rocked Sanji in her arms. Nami nodded and rubbed her eyes with the backs of her hands before walking over to Robin and caressing the top of Sanji’s head. Sanji laid silently in Robin’s arms, blinking only when he needed to and not making a single sound. He looked shocked, beyond shocked. He looked numb...


	6. Days 11-16 - Healing

“…-ro…Zo-ro… Zoro..? Zoro?” Zoro was suddenly roused from his sleep by a very bright light shining directly in his one working eye.

 

“Damnit.. Chopper… I only have one more of those things, don’t ruin it…” Zoro batted away the tiny doctor’s arm. He was fairly agitated by the rude awakening, he would have liked to have caught up on sleep a bit more, but he smiled when he heard the relieved sounds of his crew around him. _Shit, don’t they have anything better to do than loom over me and wait for me to get better?_

 

Once Zoro’s eye finally re-adjusted, he was able to take in his surroundings fully. The crew was standing around the medical bed, looking over him with tears in their eyes and smiles on their faces. _Why do you guys have to be so dramatic?_ Nami was bouncing Sanji in her arms, the poor thing looked exhausted and Zoro immediately sat himself up, his stomach protested profusely, but he needed to hold his cook so he beard it. He reached his arms out towards the navigator, silently asking for the chef. Nami handed him over to the swordsman and Zoro cuddled him softly, kissing him on his forehead and stroking his cheek with the thumb of his free hand. Tears began to well in Sanji’s eyes, his lip quivered and he reached out his small arms towards Zoro, who held him close to his chest. Sanji snivelled and nuzzled against hard, tanned skin.

 

“How are you feeling Zoro?” Chopper asked as he raised a hoof to Zoro’s forehead. Zoro wondered if Chopper was able to actually feel the difference in body temperature through his hooves but he was sure that the kid wouldn’t do anything that didn’t actually contribute to properly diagnosing him.

 

“My stomach hurts.”

 

“Well that’s a given.” Chopper chuckled as he began his examination on the swordsman.

 

“So… Zoro.. I know you just woke up and all b-but.. I was-WE were wondering-“ Nami began to stutter over her words before Luffy interrupted her.

 

“How do you make him sleep?!” Luffy pointed an accusatory finger at Sanji. Zoro took another glance at the crew and _oh shit_ they looked _exhausted._ Each one of them had huge bags under bloodshot eyes. Even Robin looked distraught. Zoro had no clue how long he had been unconscious for but apparently it was long enough to drive the rest of the crew to the brink of exhaustion with Sanji’s wailing. Hadn’t he already told Usopp how he-

 

“I told them that you sing to him but they didn’t believe me!” Usopp cried out from the middle of the group, he looked almost more panicked than the rest of the crew, which wasn’t unusual.

 

“OF COURSE we didn’t believe you! There was no WAY that Zoro would sing to him! Zoro doesn’t sing! Anyway, we TRIED singing and it didn’t work!” Nami argued with the sniper when Zoro interrupted the both of them.

 

“Actually, yes, I do sing to him.” Everybody’s eyes grew as wide as dinner plates as they stared at the swordsman. It’s like they thought he told them he had been to the moon or something. Zoro looked down at Sanji, who was staring up at Zoro with heavily lidded eyes. “When’s the last time he slept.?”

 

“The last time you sung to him I suppose.” Chopper mumbled as he pressed his stethoscope to the swordsman’s back. It was cold and Zoro inhaled sharply at the feeling before relaxing and following Chopper’s instructions to breathe in… and out… back in… and out again.

 

“And how long have I been out..?” Zoro asked cautiously as Chopper started to take his blood pressure and a series of other things that Zoro had been through at least a hundred times before.

 

“It’s been about two days bro.” Franky chimed in and Zoro internally cringed. The cook had kept himself awake for that long just because Zoro couldn’t sing to him? Zoro would have to put that away for later use on him, once he grew up again that is.

 

“Okay, well, I guess I don’t have much of a choice now do I? He needs some sleep, and so do you guys.” Everybody looked around to one another, they all looked relieved as smiles broke out across their faces and jolted when Zoro spoke again. “BUT! If you ever bring this up, I will slice you all open and drag your intestines out onto the clothesline to dry.” Everybody nodded vigorously and urged the swordsman on with their pleading looks.

 

Chopper looked like he was beginning to worry about Zoro overexerting himself directly after waking up, but it’s not like he really had a choice. Zoro looked apologetically at the reindeer before turning back to Sanji, the kid really needed sleep. After taking a short drink from the glass of water that was left at his bedside for when he woke up, Zoro cleared his throat and began to sing.

 

_“Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm. Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm._   
_Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm. Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm._   
_Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm. Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm._   
_Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm. Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm.”_

Everybody immediately recognized the song and they all watched intently as Sanji began to drift to sleep. Heavy eyelids finally falling shut as he cuddled up to Zoro’s torso.

 

_“Gather up all the crew, time to ship out Bink's brew._   
_Sea wind blows to where, who knows? The waves will be our guide._   
_O'er across the ocean's tide, the sunset is goin' wild,_   
_See the sky, the birds singing in circles passing by._

_Bid farewell to weaver's town, say so long to port renowned._   
_Sing a song, it won't be long, before we're casting off._   
_Cross the gold and silver waves, changin' into water sprays._   
_Sailing out on our journey, to the ends of the sea._

_Gather up all the crew, time to ship out Bink's brew._   
_Pirates we, we'll divide and conquer all the seas._   
_With the waves to rest our heads, the ship beneath us as our bed._   
_Hoisted high up on the mast our Jolly Roger flies._

_Somewhere in the endless sky, a storm has started comin' by._   
_Waves are dancing, having fun, time to sound the drums._   
_If we let blow winds of fear, then the end of us is near._   
_Even so, tomor-row the sun will rise again.”_

 

“He has a REALLY good singing voice..” Nami whispered to Usopp as she felt her own eyes slowly shutting against her will.

 

“Yeah, I know… it’s really.. nice.” Usopp plopped to the ground and fell asleep leaning against the crib.

 

_“Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm. Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm._   
_Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm. Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm._   
_Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm. Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm._   
_Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm. Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm._

_Gather up all the crew, time to ship out Bink's brew._   
_Could be today, could be tomorrow, twilight dreaming._   
_No longer now can we see, shadow hands still waving free_   
_Why worry, there's sure to be a moonlit night again._

_Gather up all the crew, time to ship out Bink's brew._   
_Sing a song, a lively song, for all the oceans wide._   
_After all is said and done, we all end up skeletons._   
_Endless, aimless, the story on the uproarious seas._

_Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm. Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm._   
_Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm. Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm._   
_Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm. Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm._   
_Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm. Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm.”_

 

Everybody stared at Zoro as he finished off the song. Zoro smirked as he looked at the shocked expressions on their faces and laid back slowly, placing the toddler on his chest and pulling up the blankets of the medical bed to cover the both of them.

 

“Swordsman-san, that was a beautiful rendition of one of my favourite songs, where did you learn how to sing like that?” Brook asked as he stepped out from the back of the group of people crowding the doorway. Zoro produced a half-hearted grunted and closed his eyes.

 

“Nobody taught me how to sing… I just did..”

 

“Okay guys, now that he’s past the worst of it, he should really get some rest so I need you all to leave.” Chopper ordered and the crew headed out of the room. Franky throwing Usopp over his shoulder and carrying him out. Nami stayed though. She slowly walked over to Zoro and rested her fist lightly on top of his head.

 

“Don’t you ever… do that.. again. You hear me Zoro?” Zoro opened his eyes watched a stray tear fall down Nami’s cheek. He sighed and reached a hand up to tap at hers comfortingly.

 

“Yeah.. Sorry.”

 

Nami nodded before leaving the medical and following Robin to the girl’s bunk room for a well-earned rest, leaving Zoro alone with Chopper and a sleeping Sanji.

 

“You should have died, but I’m sure you knew that.”

 

“Yeah. I know… You’re one hell of a doctor, you know that?”

 

“You dumbass… complimenting me like that won’t make happy or anything.. so just… shut up.” Chopper hugged tightly onto one of Zoro’s visible arms and sniffled softly. _Geez, and here I thought you all hated me. I’m touched._ Zoro slowly let sleep take him, knowing he would most likely wake up to the sound of Sanji crying again, so he enjoyed the peace while it lasted.

 

-0-0-0-

 

The next few days consisted of much of the same. One of the crew would bring him in a meal while he was stuck in bed until Chopper saw fit to let him walk around again. Most of the food that was brought to him was simple, nothing like what Sanji would have brought him. Tomato soup with toast, a sandwich, it was always what was left after the crew had finished eating. Zoro thought back to the times he had been sick or injured, laying in this very bed and waiting for the cook to bring him his next meal.

 

_“Hey! Look who’s awake!” Zoro opened his eyes to stare angrily at the cook who had intruded on him during his much needed sleep. His attitude changed however when he noticed what said cook was carrying in his right hand. And it smelled good._

_“..hmph.. It’s just you, and here I thought somebody who actually CARED was coming to see me.” A vein popped in Sanji’s head as he set the creamy soup he made especially for the swordsman on his bedside table. Sanji always made special food for the people who were sick or had been injured in a fight. He would use ingredients that would help them to heal faster and build up strength in their system. It probably didn’t make much of a difference, but it made Sanji feel like he was helping. Not like he would ever let Zoro know that._

_“Leftovers from dinner asshole, so eat up or I’ll give them to Luffy.” Zoro watched the cook pull a cigarette from his breast pocket and light it, cupping his hand over the flame. Sanji sat down on the chair tucked away in Choppers desk and swivelled it around to face Zoro. They stared at each other for a long time in silence before Zoro broke out into a huge, toothy smile._

_“You’re so cute when you think you’re tricking me.” Sanji’s face turned a deep shade of red and he abruptly turned his head to the side so that his bangs covered his face. He chewed on his cigarette roughly as he fixated his eyes on a particularly interesting spot on the wall. Zoro could still see the red tint on the tips of his ears._

_Zoro sat himself up, pulling the bowl into his lap and began digging into his meal. Hot, creamy soup poured down his throat, thick chunks of potato rolled around on his tongue and he crushed them against the roof of his mouth. Of course Zoro knew Sanji was lying when he said the soup was just leftovers. Every time he was stuck in the medical room, Sanji always brought him the same “leftovers”, soup filled with vegetables and herbs that never failed to make him feel better. He finished slurping down every last drop before handing the bowl back over to Sanji and demanding seconds._

_“Get them yourself marimo! And don’t call me cute ever again!”_

 

Zoro burst out into laughter alone in the medical room as he imagined how angry the cook had gotten that day. How angry he got every day really. It hurt his stomach to laugh but he couldn’t help it, Sanji was just so damn… CUTE sometimes, even if he didn’t like to admit it. He was a hell of a lot cuter than those ladies he’s constantly swooning over. Zoro missed his little chef, especially now that he was stuck in the medical room by himself for most of the day.

 

“I don’t get why I’m still even in here..” Zoro grumbled to himself. He had always healed a lot faster than what was considered ‘normal’ and he was sure that by this point, he should have been allowed to walk around on deck with the rest of the crew. Because of his injury, Zoro wasn’t able to play with Sanji the way he had been for the last few days and he wasn’t really happy about it. He loved the time he got to spend with the cook and now, the only time he really got with the toddler was night time. Sanji wouldn’t sleep with anybody other than Zoro, but Chopper said that he didn’t want Zoro over working himself while watching him during the day. Apparently, Sanji had gotten much better at being away from Zoro for short periods of time, but the crew had have to bring him into the medical room to have short visits with Zoro every hour or so.

 

_Now that I think about it, Sanji hasn’t come to visit me in a while…_

 

Zoro sniffed at the air as he sat upright in his bed. It was around lunch time and whatever the girls were making smelled extremely good. _They must have used a recipe from one of Sanji’s cookbooks._ Zoro sat, silently waiting for his lunch to be brought, it was taking a lot longer than usual and he was beginning to get restless. Just when he was beginning to think nobody was coming, he heard three short rapping sounds on the door.

 

“Come in.” Zoro shouted to whoever was on the other side of the door and slowly, it opened.

 

“Oi, Marimo. Soup’s on.”


	7. Day 16 - Sanji's Back

Sanji splashed around happily in the bath while he sat in Nami’s lap. Nami and Robin had taken over responsibility of bathing him since Zoro was stuck in the medical room. It’s not that Zoro wasn’t allowed to bathe, he still bathed nearly every day, it’s just that Chopper didn’t want him over exerting himself after such a serious injury. Where it’s placed is troublesome too. Not only because the initial blow could have killed him easily, but also because even the slightest movement could apparently pop his stitches and send him back to day one of recovery. Nami was sure Zoro was fine to be walking around like usual, but Chopper always liked to be sure that the crew was 100% before sending them back out.

 

Nami watched Sanji throw handfuls of water to no place in particular and let her head fall back. She stared up at the ceiling but made sure to take not of every little movement that Sanji made, just in case he slipped from her grasp. Suddenly, she felt her hands slip off the toddler and she snapped her head forward to see where in the water he had landed and pull him back up. She gave up on her search quickly though as she noticed that the cook that had been the size of a watermelon not a moment ago was now fully grown and kneeling in the tub, his body was facing towards her but he wasn’t looking at her.

 

He had his arms stretched out and his hands were gripping tightly onto the sides of the tub. His blonder hair was dripping wet and leaning her head down a bit, Nami could see that Sanji had his eyes closed tightly. She expected to see a trickle of blood making its way from his nose but, it never came. He wasn’t touching a single part of her body, avoiding every bit of contact he could while confined in the small space of the tub. Sanji lifted his head slowly and opened his eyes, staring at Nami with a very serious and sullen look on his face.

 

“Sanji… you’re back.” Nami smiled gently as she reached over to the side of the tub, pulling a towel over and placing it near Sanji’s hands.

 

“…The marimo…” Sanji began but stopped speaking when Nami placed a dainty finger to his lips.

 

“Sanji-kun, it will be lunch time in about an hour, why don’t you go downstairs and help Robin with the preparations?” Sanji nodded and took the towel that was now right next to his hands. He hopped out of the tub and, making sure to face away from Nami, dried off his hair before wrapping the towel around his waist.

 

“Thank you, Nami-swan.” Sanji nodded before walking out of the bathroom and closing the door behind him. Everybody was distracted with their own activities and didn’t notice him making his way to the men’s bunk to grab a change of clothes. He decided against wearing one of his fancy suits, settling for loose-fitting pair of cargo shorts and a white, short-sleeved button up shirt. He slipped on a pair of sandals and stuffed a pack of cigarettes in his breast pocket. He stuck one of the sticks in between his lips and grabbed his lighter off one of the dressers. He cupped his hand around his cigarette before striking the flame and lighting his it. Sanji took a long, hard drag before letting the smoke pour from his lips.

 

He pulled the cigarette from his mouth and held it between his fingers, hiding his eyes in the palm of his hand as he held back all the emotions that threatened to spill out. _You stupid.. dumbass, moron.. idiot… marimo bastard.._

 

After a while, Sanji exited the bunk room and walked out onto the deck. Everybody was gathered in the center of the lawn, everybody except Zoro and Robin. They all looked at him silently, waiting for him to make the first move, say the first word. They all knew he knew what happened almost a week ago. They all knew that he and Zoro would have to have some pretty intense words after all that’s happened between them.

 

“Hey guys. Great to be back.” Sanji smiled widely at the strawhat crew, who burst out into happy cheers at the bright mood he presented them all with. Luffy wrapped his long, rubbery arms around the cook and hugged him tightly, Franky patted him on the back and Usopp began telling stories about all the different things he and the rest of the crew had done while he was, whatever you want to call it. The long nose didn’t have to tell him anything, he remembered it all, but it was nice to have everybody happy after everything that happened.

 

“I’m going to go help Robin with lunch, okay?” Everybody nodded and Sanji could swear he saw Luffy drooling at the mention on Sanji’s cooking, so he made his way over to the galley. One he was inside, he saw Robin was leaning over the counter, chopping lettuce fruit into bite sized pieces for a salad while four other hands sprouting from random areas around the kitchen worked on their own tasks. She stopped immediately when she heard the door close, carefully placing all the ingredients on empty spaces in the counter and turning to face Sanji.

 

“So, Cook-san, what will we be making for our swordsman tonight?” Sanji looked over at the door that lead to the medical room and smiled as he thought up the perfect dish.

 

“Potato soup.”

 

Robin nodded and turned around, resuming the work on her fruit salad while Sanji tied his apron around his waist and got to cooking. The two worked silently as they prepared their separate meals, Sanji would make notes on what Robin should be adding to the sandwiches and coleslaw she was making while he worked on making iced tea for the crew and a small batch of potato soup.

 

Robin finished up her food first and put it all on a couple of trays to bring to the crew who had decided to eat outside that day with how beautiful Nami had predicted the weather to be. As she was walking out of the kitchen, she placed a gentle hand on Sanji’s shoulder and smiled at him. Sanji nodded and she kissed him on the cheek before making her way out of the galley and to the very hungry crew that awaited her on the grassy lawn of the Sunny.

 

Sanji plated up the soup and walked over to the door of the medical room. He inhaled deeply and used his free hand to put a cigarette between his lips. He didn’t light it, just kept it there to chew on. He reached his hand out to the door knob and then pulled it away again, deciding to knock first, he balled his hand up into a fist and tapped it on the door three times.

 

“Come in.” Sanji steeled himself and slowly, he opened the door.

 

“Oi, Marimo. Soup’s on.”


	8. Final Day - Bink's Sake

Zoro stared at Sanji for a long time, waiting for something to happen. Waiting for the cook to do something, bring him his food or even just turn around and leave. But he just stood in the door way, staring at his feet. After a while, Zoro noticed the tips of his ears turning red and a blush spreading across the bridge of his nose.

 

“Getting embarrassed cook? How cute” Sanji’s head snapped up and he stared furiously at the swordsman as he clenched his cigarette in between his teeth.

 

“YOU SHUT UP MARIMO! I SAID DON’T CALL ME CUTE!” Sanji fumed and Zoro burst out laughing. He laughed so hard he was bent over his knees for a while until a sharp pain in his stomach stopped him. He groaned, placing the palm of his hand to his stomach. It’s not like he even had the stitches in anymore, he was fine now, for the most part. Chopper had told him that he might have troubles with day to day things such as laughing or training for up to a month, but that the pain would subside eventually.

 

Sanji rushed over, panic written on his face as he placed the soup on the side table and knelt down beside the swordsman. Zoro looked over at the bowl to see what the cook had made and his breath caught in his throat.

 

“Potato soup…”

 

“Yes, dumbass, it’s potato soup. Now where does it hurt, do you need me to go get Chopper? Roro, listen to me-“

 

“What did you say?” The blush that was on Sanji’s face previously returned with vengeance and he stuttered over his words until he gave up on explaining and just chewed angrily on his cigarette. He stayed kneeling next to the swordsman but ducked his head down to look at his feet.

 

“Just eat you dumbass…” Zoro smiled at the flustered cook and reached out to the hot meal that waited for him on his table. He didn’t bother with a spoon and instead just put the bowl to his lips and began to drink down the creamy liquid, chunks of potato and carrot sliding over his tongue and he chewed on the soft, crumbly vegetables as they made their way to his teeth. Zoro sighed happily as he gulped down the last of his meal. If he were less of a man, he probably would have cried at finally tasting Sanji’s cooking again after so long. But he’s too manly for that, he doesn’t cry. Never.

 

“Zoro? Are you okay? Holy shit you’re crying, how much pain are you in?! Damnit, you shit-head, I can’t help you if you don’t tell me! That’s it, I’m getting Chopp-“

 

“I’m fine, Sanji. I just- it’s really good.. I missed your food a lot and it tastes.. really, really good. Thank you.” Zoro used the back of his arm to wipe away the tear that actually never happened from his eye and turned back to the chef. Sanji was now standing up with his fists balled up at his sides and his teeth clenched up. He looked almost like he was shaking and just before Zoro was about to reach out and grab the cook’s sleeve, he spoke.

 

“DAMNIT MARIMO! WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE COMPLIMENTING ME LIKE THAT?! I SHOULD BE THE ONE THANKING YOU! You-! You were… you were the one that was taking care of me for two whole weeks and… and you sung to me every damn night, like some shitty ass nanny. Don’t think for a second that just because I let you do it that it means I liked it or anything! Feeding me and playing with me and- why didn’t you just give me to Nami?!”

 

“Because you were my responsibility damn dart-brow! It was my fault in the first place that you got turned into a baby so it should be me that takes care of you-“

 

“I DON’T ACCEPT IT!” Sanji announced stubbornly, crossing his arms and glaring down at Zoro. Zoro looked up at Sanji, confused, _What the hell is he trying to say?_

 

“What the hell are you trying to say shit-cook?!”

 

“I’m TRYING to say this!” Before Zoro could protest any further, his mouth was covered by another’s, Sanji’s to be exact. Soft lips pressed forcefully against his own and Zoro parted his lips in a gasp, allowing Sanji to deepen the kiss. Zoro let his eye fall shut as he began to kiss the cook back and groaned when he felt Sanji nibbling softly at his bottom lip. Zoro reached his hand up and threaded his fingers through soft, golden hair as he urged him closer.

 

Eventually, the two broke apart from each other, gasping against each other’s lips. They were silent as they took in large gulps of air until Sanji finally spoke.

 

“So.. uhm… your lunch was actually really late and it’s getting a little close to time for me to start dinner so.. I should-“

 

“Yeah, see you then.” Zoro smiled and kissed Sanji one more time before the cook gathered up the swordsman’s bowl and made his way towards the door. He reached out for the knob but stopped before he turned it and asked softly.

 

“Do you… uh, want seconds?”

 

“As long as it’s your food, I’ll eat as much as you can make me.” Zoro smiled at the obvious blush that spread throughout Sanji’s entire body. From the tips of his ears to the balls of his feet, Sanji could feel a warm feeling that he hadn’t felt since… since Zeff had complimented his cooking for the first time.

 

“I said not to say stuff like that you.. bastard..”

 

-0-0-0-

 

“SANJIIII!!!! THIS IS SO GOOODD!” Luffy shouted happily as he swallowed down another mouthful of spiced meat.

 

“Yeah, well, you better enjoy it because we’re running low on supplies and we’re going to have to make port to restock fairly soon. All we seem to have left after this is vegetables and preservatives. We can always catch some fish to use as meat but I would really like avoid that if possible. Seriously guys, why the hell did you let the food supplies get this low while I was out of commission?”

 

Everybody looked around the table at each other and shrugged. A vein popped in Sanji’s head and he kicked Usopp and Luffy fiercely in the back of their heads.

 

“OW! Sanji! Why are you kicking just US?!” Luffy and Usopp complained at the same time as the rest of the crew laughed.

 

“Because you two are the only one’s I’m actually allowed to kick on this ship besides that damned Marimo!” Sanji howled.

 

“Speaking of Zoro, I’ve decided that tomorrow I’m going to release him from the medical room. Of course, he won’t be able to do any training, so I’m going to need all of you guys to help me keep him from over exerting himself. If he can complain as much as he is, he’s probably healthy enough to be walking around anyway.” Chopper announced, mumbling the last part to himself and everybody cheered happily, raising their glasses in celebration. It was always a big celebration when one of their crew recovered from an injury, even if they ALWAYS get injured.

 

“Hey Sanji! How come you didn’t make us lunch?! You were back to normal by then, RIGHT?!” Luffy complained as he stole a forkful of food from Usopp’s plate.

 

“Because my lovely Robin-chwan had already made preparations for her lunch that she took the time out of her busy day to make you pigs! It would be rude to throw out all her progress to start something new, now be more grateful you shitty rubber asshole!” Sanji swung another kick at Luffy’s head but missed when the captain ducked out of the way and stretched his arm out to steal another handful of food.

 

“Yeah Luffy! Be more grateful- HEY GIVE THAT BACK! AND STOP STEALING FROM ME ALL THE TIME, NAMI’S PLATE’S STILL FULL!” Usopp shouted as he chased the captain around the galley. Nami punched the both of the squarely in the back of the head and dragged them back to their seats.

 

“DAMNIT YOU TWO! LUFYY! Don’t steal people’s food and Usopp! Don’t tell Luffy to steal MY food!”

 

“THERE BETTER BE SOME FOOD LEFT OVER FOR ME YOU ASSHOLES!” Zoro shouted from the medical room and the whole crew turned to look at the door Zoro was still stuck behind until tomorrow.

 

“SHUT IT MARIMO! I made you something different so there’s no way for you to run out of food now GO THE FUCK BACK TO BED!” Sanji screamed before realizing what he just admitted to. _Please don’t notice, please don’t notice, please don’t notice.._

 

“Sanji, you cook special meals for Zoro!! NO FAIR! Only the CAPTAIN should get special treatment!”

 

“SHUT UP AND EAT!” Sanji shouted as he sat back down in his own seat. His face turned a deep scarlet and the tips of his ears flared red.

 

Once dinner had come and gone and everybody finished poking at Sanji for making Zoro his ‘special’ meals, Robin offered to bring the swordsman his dinner and Sanji was left alone to clean up the kitchen. He didn’t mind much because it gave him some silence to think to himself. He hadn’t gotten much of that since he changed back to normal because everybody was too busy celebrating and congratulating him. He had also spent as much time as he could fawning over his ladies and making them the most splendid drinks he could muster to make up for lost time.

 

Once he was done cleaning up, Sanji went down to the men’s bunk and got himself ready for bed.

 

-0-0-0-

 

“Sh-Shit!” Zoro rolled over in his bed as he roused from another dream that he would rather not think about. He buried his face in his pillow and groaned as he tried to will his hard-on away so he could drift back to sleep. He was interrupted in his attempts by a soft knocking at the door.

 

“Hmm..? Who.. who is it?” Zoro grumbled sleepily.

 

“It’s me marimo…”

 

Oh _Shit._ Zoro took in long, deep breaths as he tried to calm his situation before speaking again.

 

“Can I come in.. please…?” Sanji murmured as he opened the door slightly.

 

“Uh.. yeah, sure. What’s wrong?” Zoro rolled back over and sat up in his bed, praying that the thick sheets of the medical bed would hide his ‘situation’. Sanji walked into full view and Zoro couldn’t help but stare at the way that the moonlight streaming in from the window cascaded off the cook’s skin. His hair was a complete mess, light blue pajama pants hanging loosely from his hips. He looked exhausted as he walked over to Chopper’s desk and took a seat in his swivel chair.

 

“I..I can’t… sleep.. Is it too much to ask if.. forget it. It’s stupid.” Sanji laughed softly before getting up from his chair and making his way back to the door.

 

“Wait.. Sanji, come here.” Sanji rocked back and forth awkwardly on his feet before turning back around and making his way to the bed. Zoro reached his arms out towards the cook and could see the tips of his ears turn bright red. Sanji looked back down to his feet but slowly, climbed on top of Zoro’s lap, straddling the swordsman.

 

 _“Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm. Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm.”_ Zoro began to hum the same song he had been singing to Sanji for the past two weeks and slowly brought one of his hands up to trail along his back. Zoro used his free hand to move Sanji’s bangs out of his face, tucking them behind his ear while a few stray strands fell back into his face. Sanji slowly wrapped his arms around the swordsman’s neck.

 

 _“Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm. Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm. Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm. Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm.”_ Zoro placed his hands on Sanji’s hips and pulled him close, taking in the cooks scent as he came flush with his body.

 

 _“Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm. Hmm, Hm Hm, Hmm.”_ Sanji nuzzled against the swordsman’s throat with his nose and pulled himself as close as he could, rubbing his chest against Zoro and feeling heat radiating off his body. Zoro reached one of his hands up and grabbed Sanji gently by his chin, positioning him so that they were practically breathing the same air and speaking in a low, husky voice.

 

“Sanji…” Sanji shivered when he heard his name come from Zoro’s mouth, just inches away from his own.

 

“Sanji. Close your eyes and open your mouth.” Zoro slowly commanded the already panting cook. _Oh god, I’ll do anything as long as you say it in THAT voice._ Sanji didn’t hesitate for a minute to do as he was told. He sat there with his arms laced tightly around Zoro’s shoulders and waited for what would come next.

 

What he wasn’t expecting was Zoro’s hot, wet tongue to invade his mouth before he even felt a brush of the swordsman’s lips against his own. The feeling went straight to his cock as he moaned loudly against Zoro’s tongue. Zoro explored every inch of Sanji’s mouth as he could and massaged his hips, making slow circular motions with his thumbs. Sanji arched into the sensation and ground his body against Zoro’s, desperate for as much contact as he could possibly obtain.

 

“Hah… ahh.. AHH!” Sanji moaned as Zoro sucked on his tongue and pulled him back until the cook was laying on top of him.

 

Zoro rolled over top of Sanji and pinned him down by his shoulders, rolling his hips forward and grinding against his cock. Sanji’s grip on the swordsman tightened as he felt strong, calloused hands caress his sides and make their way to his chest where they teased at his nipples. Sanji writhed under the swordsman’s touch as he attempted to reciprocate through his clouded mind. Sanji pulled his arms off Zoro’s shoulders and ran his hands down to Zoro’s ass where he grabbed at it roughly, dragging an animalistic growl from the swordsman’s lips.

 

“Mmm.. Sanji. M-more..” Zoro groaned as he pulled at the waistband of Sanji’s pajamas.

 

“Oh god yes, Zoro…” Sanji moaned as he worked Zoro’s pants off, pulling the band up and over Zoro’s aching cock and pulling them the rest of the way down with his feet. Zoro kicked them off as he worked his way down Sanji’s stomach with his mouth and tongue, leaving a trail fire.

 

Zoro pulled Sanji’s pants off his body and massaged at the insides of his thighs, encouraging him to spread his legs wide. Sanji thread his hands through Zoro’s short, green hair as he watched him go lower and lower until he reached Sanji’s throbbing erection. Zoro dragged his tongue along the shaft and watched Sanji’s face contort with pleasure while he brought three fingers up to Sanji’s lips.

 

“Suck.” He ordered the cook as he took Sanji’s leaking head into his mouth and sucked on it before taking the entirety in. Sanji nearly howled with pleasure and Zoro took the opportunity to place his fingers in Sanji’s mouth. Sanji began to coat them liberally with saliva as he was reduced to a panting, sweating mess.

 

Once Zoro was sure they were nice and wet, Zoro pulled his fingers from Sanji’s inviting mouth and brought them down to the cook’s entrance, massaging the outer ring of muscle before slowly pushing his way inside.

 

“Nngh.. hah..” Sanji grunted uncomfortably as he adjusted to the feeling of Zoro’s finger pumping in and out of his body.

 

“Just bear with it Sanji..” Zoro kissed along Sanji’s shaft until he reached the tip and he dragged his teeth over the head and Sanji arched his back as he moaned obscenely. Zoro took the opportunity to add another finger to the one currently occupying Sanji’s hole. Zoro began to scissor his fingers until he felt the cook was stretched out enough for a third. He curled his fingers inwards and Sanji jerked in response.

 

“Z-Zoro..! I-I’m gonna c..come! Hah-AHH!” Sanji tried to pull Zoro away when he felt himself coming undone but Zoro just buried Sanji’s cock as far down his throat as he could, swallowing around it and humming faintly, sending vibrations of pleasure through the cook’s body as he shuddered violently and came in Zoro’s mouth. Cum spilled down Zoro’s throat and he made sure to swallow as much as possible, a single stray drop escaping and cascading down his chin.

 

Zoro finally pulled away and let Sanji’s spent cock fall from his mouth. He crawled over Sanji’s body to look him in the eyes as he licked away the last drop of the cook’s cum.

 

“Tastes even better than your food, shit-cook” Zoro slowly started pumping his fingers back in and out of the cook again as he watched the way it made Sanji squirm and his eyes positively swim with want. The overstimulation was driving the cook insane and soon, Zoro pulled his fingers out and reached over to his bedside table, opening the top drawer and pulling out a bottle of slick.

 

“And why.. the fuck… do you have that in here..?” Sanji panted as he watched Zoro squirt the liquid onto his hands and begin to coat his cock liberally.

 

“Been in here for a week, a guy has needs.. dreaming about you every damn night didn’t help much either..” Zoro positioned himself at Sanji’s entrance and looked up to him for confirmation, seeing the way that lust clouded the cook’s eyes.

 

“You.. dreamt about this..?” Sanji cocked a curly eyebrow as he felt the head of Zoro’s cock pushing against his ass.

 

“Yeah.. Sanji you have no idea how hard you make me every night… Can I…?” Sanji wrapped his hands around the back of Zoro’s neck and pulling him down so that he was inches away from his face. Sanji finally caught his breath and in a low voice, he spoke.

 

“Zoro. Fuck. Me.” Zoro groaned as he pushed his way inside Sanji, stilling himself once he was fully seated inside and controlling his breathing as he allowed Sanji time to adjust. Eventually, Sanji wrapped his legs around Zoro’s hips and urged him even further inside him, feeling Zoro’s pulsing cock stretching him wider and wider.

 

“Move.” Zoro pulled himself out fully before thrusting back inside, dragging a yelp from the cook’s throat. Zoro felt up Sanji’s body as he pumped in and out, pale skin was now slick with sweat and Zoro could smell the arousal coming off of him. Sanji gripped tightly onto Zoro’s shoulders, holding on as tightly as possible as Zoro fucked him harder and harder. Zoro adjusted his angle slightly and was rewarded with Sanji crying out in pleasure as he pounded against the cook’s prostate.

 

Sanji felt his cock growing achingly hard all over again as he thrust himself onto Zoro’s cock, drinking down every last bit of friction until he felt himself reaching his peak all over again.

 

“Ah…hah…AHH! Zoro..! I’m coming!” Zoro reached one of his hands up, threading it through soft blond hair and moving it away from Sanji’s face, staring into deep blue eyes. Zoro captured Sanji’s lips in a heated kiss, sucking at Sanji’s lower lip and licking at the roof of his mouth. Zoro plunged into Sanji one last time, hitting that sweet spot dead on and swallowing Sanji’s cries of ecstasy with his own mouth as he came against his stomach. Sanji clenched around Zoro’s cock as he painted the both of them with his cum. Zoro groaned as he watched Sanji’s eyes screw shut and came, pulsing inside the cook and riding out his orgasm by fucking into him as fast as he could.

 

Zoro panted against Sanji’s mouth as he came down from his high, keeping his limbs entangled and pressing his body against Sanji’s. After he finally caught his breath, Zoro pulled himself from Sanji and rolled over onto his back, rolling Sanji on top of him and kissing Sanji’s neck softly. Zoro trailed his fingers along Sanji’s back comfortingly and smiled.

 

“You know, I’m never going to be able to hear that song now without getting hard…” Zoro chuckled and continued his ministrations on the cook’s back.

 

“Well how lucky does that make me?” Zoro listened to Sanji’s breathing even out as he drifted to sleep on top of his chest and pulled up the bed sheets to cover the both of them up, enveloping them in warmth.

 

“Love you Jiji..”

 

“Love you… Roro..”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this was the third ZoSan I wrote, if you liked it, leave some sexy kudos, if you didn't, tell me why. I like the feed back, and honestly I feel like I could have done better in some areas. Thanks so much for taking the time to finish my work. :3


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